As many as 25 of the State’s 30 districts have witnessed scanty rainfall and the five remaining ones, Koraput, Khordha, Nabarangpur, Cuttack and Kalahandi, have received normal rainfall, informed Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi in the State Assembly on Friday.
The Minister made the Statement in response to a direction given by Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro on the demand of opposition members in the House on Thursday.
The Minister said 79 of 314 blocks have received normal rainfalls so far. Out of the rest 235 blocks, which received less rainfall, 21 have got rainfall 59 per cent less rainfall than normal.
As of now, cultivation of paddy and non-paddy crops have been undertaken on a total of 25, 80,579 acres of land, which is 41 per cent of total cultivation programme. While paddy cultivation has been undertaken on 15,11, 303 hactares of land, pulses on 2,18,807 hactares, oil seeds on 84,020 and vegetables and other crops have been grown on 7,66,449 hactares of land.
The Minister said while sowing of paddy seeds has been completed, planting of saplings have been affected at some places due to lack of rainwater.
While Agriculture Officers are of the view that cultivation works would be affected if rains doesn’t occur in two-three days, the prediction of rains till July 27 made by the weather office has come as a solace, said the Minister.
The Minister further informed that rivers, canals, water reservoirs and barrages are not flowing normally due to lack of rains.
While reservoirs were filled with 28.28 per cent of their average live storage capacity by July 21, 2018, the storage this year stands at 15.66 per cent, said the Minister. Out of 2,699 small reservoirs, 2,160 are now unable to irrigate lands as water level in them has remained under dead storage.
The Government has taken all measures to funtinalise lift irrigation points and create awareness among farmers regarding best use of water for cultivation purposes.
The Minister said 59 of 63 major and medium irrigation projects have now water for irritation. Similarly, 53 out of 92 mega irrigation projects, 539 of 2,699 minor irrigation projects, 338 out of 965 minor diversion weirs, 24,414 out of 29,578 Community LIPs, 67,526 out of 68,991 deep bore wells, all 3,522 shallow tube wells and all 833 micro river lift points have water to irrigate cultivable lands.
Congress members expressed unhappiness over the Minister’s reply saying the Minister avoided giving information on farmer suicides and urged the Speaker to direct him to give a fresh statement on the issue. As Speaker said he would examine it, they staged a walkout.