The State Government on Thursday told the Assembly that no drought-like situation has emerged in the State as of now even as it received 9.9 per cent less rainfall than normal by September 13 this year.
“The State has received 912.8 mm rainfall by September 13 against 1019.9 mm usually received during period each year. Though cultivation work has been delayed in 30 blocks under 14 districts, drought-like situation has not been seen anywhere in the State,” said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty in his reply to an Adjournment Motion brought by the Opposition Congress.
He informed that as many as 74 blocks witnessed 19 to 39 per cent less downpour while 25 other blocks have 39 to 59 per cent less rain than normal.
Mohanty further informed the House that the regional Met Office has predicted heavy rainfall to occur in the coming week, which would help farmers in expediting cultivation work. By September 8, cultivation work has been undertaken in 57.64 lakh hectares of land against target of 61,52 hectares for the current Kharif.
However, leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra and other opposition members slammed the Government for not completing irrigation projects and making farmers depend on rains for cultivation work. “The Government has failed to provide irrigation facility to farmers,” alleged Mishra.
However, ruling party members refuted the charge and blamed the Centre for not providing sufficient funds for undertaking irrigation project works.
On behalf of the Opposition, BJP legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo, Pradeep Purohit, Naba Kishore Das and Chandra Sekhar Majhi participated in the discussion.
Similarly, Padmanav Behera, Mangala Kissan, Sanjib Kumar Sahoo and Ayub Khan participated on behalf of the ruling party.