Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced a Covid-19 relief package of Rs 11 crore for OMFED farmers to support their livelihood amid the pandemic.
Under the package, each milk farmer would receive financial assistance up to Rs 6,000 to meet their expenses for purchasing of fodder. A total of 1.20 lakh farmers would be benefited by this move, said a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.
While announcing the package, Patnaik said that while all other sectors have slowed down due to the Covid-19-induced lockdown and shutdowns, only the agriculture and allied sector has given a boost to the State’s economy. He praised the farmers for consistently working for their production amidst the pandemic. “Dairy farming plays an important role in rural economy and supports livelihood of small and nominal farmers to a great extent.
However, a fall in demand for milk and other dairy products during pandemic has badly affected their livelihood. In view of this, the State Government decided to announce the financial package for milk farmers,” CM stated.