The farmers of Nuapada district, who depended on lift irrigation points as the source of irrigation during last Kharif, would not be entitled for input subsidy at par with land under assured irrigation although the department of Revenue and Disaster Management has clarified that the lands under the ayacut area of LI points should be considered as land under assured irrigation.
The district administration of Nuapada has enlisted these lands as unirrigated area. As a result, above 5,000 farmers of the district will be deprived of their rightful due of input subsidy for irrigated land.
The rate of payment of input subsidy for crop loss is Rs 6,800 per hectare for non-irrigated land and Rs 13,500 per hectare for land under assured irrigation. However, as the lands under the ayacut area of lift irrigation points have been categorized as rainfed or unirrigated, the farmers are now entitled to get only Rs 6,800.
The Deputy Relief Commissioner of the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management (Special Relief) vide his letter No.381 dated 26.02.2013 had clarified that land under the ayacut of lift irrigation points should be taken as land under assured irrigation for the purpose of payment of input subsidy for crop loss due to natural calamity. But instead of following the instructions, the Agriculture and Revenue Departments have surveyed these lands as unirrigated.
There are about 5,000 farmers in the district who have been using lift points installed by Lift Irrigation department in the Sundar and Udanti rivers and various other streams for irrigation purposes. The rivers became dry in October due to scanty rain and the crops were severely affected during last Kharif.
“We expected that the input subsidy would be paid for irrigated land following the clarification of the SRC, but the administration has deprived us of the same," said the members of Krushak Sakti Sangathana, adding, "We demand a fresh survey and payment according to the clarification.”