Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday instructed all divisional commissioners and district collectors to keep contingency plans ready to deal with possible consequences of scanty rainfall in the State.
He instructed the officers to ensure continuous supply of essential commodities including onions and potatoes and to keep control on their prices. Singh held an emergency meeting with the divisional commissioners and collectors through video-conferencing here on Saturday and advised commissioners and collectors to keep a close watch on price fluctuation in local markets and should take strict action if needed to check rise in prices of essential commodities.
The Chief Minister took serious note of complaints regarding sub-standard seeds of soybean and paddy in some districts and said that the matter will be investigated and accountability will be fixed. Stringent action will be taken against the officer found guilty.He took stock of the rainfall, status of crops (sowing), availability of fertilisers, seeds, loan distribution for farmers, availability of water in irrigation reservoirs, drinking water, preparation of job-creating works etc.
The officers informed him that 80.6mm average rainfall has been recorded in the State till June 27 which accounts to 49 per cent of the average rainfall received in past 10 years. Some districts are getting heavy rainfall for past two-three days which are signs of a normal monsoon, the officers said.
The CM, however, maintained that if any situation of scanty rainfall occurs, the emergency plans prepared in advance should be executed and immediate help should be provided to farmers and villagers. Preparations should be done in advance for employment generating activities at local level for the farmers in case any such situation develops.
He pointed out towards complaints received by him in Jandarshan programme related to sub-standard seeds of soybean and paddy in Rajnandgaon, Dhamtari and Kabirdham district. He said that the companies which have supplied sub-standard seeds should be blacklisted.Singh also instructed to take preventive measures to contain waterborne diseases like gastroenteritis etc and to ensure sufficient stock of life saving drugs in hospitals from sub-health centres to district hospitals.
Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, Agriculture Production Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Singh, Principal Secretary (Housing and Environment) N Baijendra Kumar, Principal Secretary (Food and Civil Supply) Vikassheel, Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) KR Pisda, Secretary (Water Resources and Public Health Engineering) GS Mishra and senior officers of seed corporation were present on the occasion.