In view of the large scale damage to the Kharif crops due to the recent cyclone and floods, the State Government on Wednesday announced a revised Rabi campaign programme for 2013-14 with a target to extend crop loan to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore to the farmers in 30 districts for crop production through cooperative sector.
Announcing the revised campaign programme for the ensuing Rabi season, Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the Government also decided to take Rabi cultivation, including horticulture activity in 33.68 lakh hectares against the Rabi achievement of around 25.68 lakh hectares in 2012-13.
The Rabi programme includes coverage of an estimated 19.92 lakh hectares which includes 4.17 lakh hectares under cereals and 15.75 lakh hectares under pulses cultivation. While 5.71 lakh hectares would be covered for oil seed cultivation, 6.50 lakh hectares under vegetables and 1.05 lakh hectares under spices would be covered. Besides, it is targeted to cultivate sugarcane in around 50,000 hectares.
He said that the estimated farm credit during the Rabi season would be disbursed through 17 Central Cooperative Banks. The crop loan would be available to the farmer members of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies at 5 per cent rate of interest and if they repay the outstanding dues on or before the due dates, 3 per cent incentive would be available to them, thereby reducing the effective rate of interest on crop loans to two per cent per annum, he said.
Mishra said that an estimated 11 lakh hectares of crop land have been affected by the cyclone and floods of which around 6.54 lakh hectares sustained huge loss of crop.
He said that during the Rabi season, itwas decided to provide irrigation facilities to additional 7.20 lakh agricultural land.In view of the recent cyclone and floods, the State Government hadconstituted a 13- member Task Force under the chairmanship of
Principal Secretary of Agriculture to formulate the revised Rabi campaign programme for 2013-14. The State level task force has been asked to meet every Monday for next two months to ensure successful implementation of the ensuing Rabi programme. Similarly, a task force would also be constituted in the district level under concerned
Collectors for the regular review of the implementation of the progamme also on every Monday, said the Agriculture Minister Mishra.The Agriculture Minister highlighting the thrust areas for post disaster measures to restore agricultural operations said that efforts would be made for expansion of areas by taking up one or more short duration crops during the crop year.
lands where there is partial crop loss, need based plant protection and crop rehabilitation measures would be taken up, he said, adding where crop loss is more than 75 per cent, the farmers would be advised to directly go for next crop by availing various initiatives announced by the Government.
He said intensive extension campaign on agriculture will be taken up during 2013-14 on all developmental programmes for creating awareness among farmers. Krishi Raths will be going around in each block touching every nook and corner during the campaign period, he said.