BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced relief package for farmers, fishermen, weavers and artisans affected by cyclone Yaas that hit the northern coast of the state on May 26 affecting around 60 lakh people.
According to the package, the small and marginal farmers, who have sustained crop loss of 33% and above will receive agriculture input subsidy (cash assistance to compensate the investment in agriculture) of Rs 6,800 per hectare of land in rain-fed and non-irrigated areas and Rs 13,500 per hectares of land in areas under assured irrigation.
Similarly, the assistance for perennial crops like mango, cashew, coconut and betel vine will be Rs 18,000 per hectare.
“The assistance shall be provided to the actual cultivators.
Agricultural input subsidy to any affected farmer shall not be less than Rs 2000 for perennial crops and Rs 1000 for other crops,” said a senior government official.
Affected farmers in saline inundated areas in Bhadrak and Balasore districts will be given assistance of Rs 750 per hectare for soil nutrient management/soil ameliorants for 10000 hectares of land.
The state government also announced to provide seeds to the tune of 1.5 lakh quintal to the farmers of affected districts.
Training of farmers, demonstration programme, incentive for pesticides and farm mechanization subsidy are also part of the subsidy.
As many as 125 farmers, who had taken up betel vine cultivation, will receive incentive of Rs 15,000 each for repair and renovation.
The package also includes free vegetable minikts, assistance for mushroom cultivators, distribution of quality planting materials.
To further benefit the farmers to repaying the crop loan taken from banks, it was announced that the short term kharif loans in the cyclone affected areas shall be converted into medium term loans.
Similarly, expeditious steps will be taken to conduct crop cutting experiments to settle the claims of the affected insured farmers under the crop insurance scheme, said official sources.
For the fishermen community, financial assistance of Rs 4,100 and Rs 2,100 announced for repair of partially damaged boats and nets respectively.
For fully damaged boats and nets, assistance of Rs 9,600 and Rs 2,600 has been announced.
The fishermen will also get financial assistance for de-silting, restoration of fish farms.
The package also includes assistance of Rs 30,000 per milch cow and buffalo, Rs 25,000 per draught animal, Rs 16,000 per calf, Rs 3,000 per goat/sheep, Rs 50 per poultry bird.
Assistance will also be provided towards construction/renovation of damaged cattle shed.
The artisans and weavers will get assistance for replacement of tools and equipment.
Similarly, the sericulture farmers will also receive the assistance.
The chief minister asked officials to provide house building and other assistance to the beneficiaries in accordance with the norms of disaster response fund.
The package would be nearly Rs 100 crore, said official sources.