Majhi declares unseasonal rain as natural calamity

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday declared the unseasonal rain in December last year as a natural calamity to facilitate disbursement of compensation from the State’s Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to farmers for crop damage, due to the un-timely weather event.

Addressing the ‘Krushi Odisha Conclave’ 2025 here, he said farmers who have lost 33 per cent or more crops due to the unseasonal rain, would be provided assistance as per the provisions in the relief code. The assistance of around Rs 291 crore will be provided from the SDRF, he said.

“Unseasonal rain was not on the list of natural calamities in the State. However, keeping in view the crop damage and plight of farmers, our government today declares the unseasonal rain as a natural calamity to facilitate the disbursement of compensation from the disaster response fund,” the Chief Minister said.

According to district collectors, 6,66,720 farmers have so far reported 33 per cent or more crop loss due to rain between December 20 and December 28, Majhi said. “These cultivators are entitled to get financial assistance of about Rs 291.59 crore as compensation,” he said.

Crops spread over around 2,26,791 hectares of agricultural land have been damaged by the unseasonal rain, the Chief Minister said. Majhi said the State government would also make provisions for assistance for vegetable growers and farmers cultivating other cash crops like betel leaf and cotton. Steps are being taken to make farmers self-reliant, he said.

The ruling BJP, during its its first Cabinet meeting, had announced its decision to procure paddy at the rate of Rs 3,100 per quintal, along with an input assistance of Rs 800, said the Chief Min-ister.

The Odisha government has also launched the CM Kisan Yojana under which more than Rs 925 crore has been provided to about 46 lakh farmers. “These measures prove our commitment towards the welfare of farmers,” he asserted.

Apart from providing more assistance to the rain-affected farmers, the State government will make arrangements for irrigation, cold storage, model markets, godowns and agricultural ma-chinery.

“Farmers are being provided subsidy system and special incentives for purchasing agricultural machinery. This people’s government gives importance to the overall development of agriculture and farmers. Our government is committed to accelerating the development of the agriculture sector,” Majhi said.