As part of the drought assistance, the State Government has decided to provide additional input subsidy of Rs100 crore to farmers, including sharecroppers.
Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra on Tuesday said the Government has already provided Rs113 crore input subsidy to farmers and sharecroppers. “An additional Rs100-crore input subsidy will be provided to the farmers in drought-hit districts” he said.
Regarding the release of Rs380 crore pending Phailin due by the Centre from the Natural Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), Mohapatra said the State Government was to receive Rs399.83 crore for which the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary had reminded the Centre on several occasions.
“We will soon write to the Centre for the rest Rs19.83 crore,” said Mohapatra, clarifying that the Centre has not released any drought assistance to the State yet.
Mohapatra said the Central team, which had visited the State earlier this month for assessment of the drought, has submitted its report to the Centre on December 19.
Regarding farmer suicide cases, Mohapatra said investigation into the death of 122 farmers has been completed while the reports on the alleged suicide of seven to eight more farmers have been sent to the Home Department for probe.