Sowing work for paddy crop has so far covered 26 lakh hectares—nearly 89 per cent of the total area under paddy cultivation in Chhattisgarh this Kharif season.
This was informed by senior officials attending a review meeting convened by Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday at the Mantralaya for seeking an update on rainfall situation, agricultural activity besides current water level in various irrigation reservoirs of the State.The meeting was attended by senior officials of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Water Resources Department.
Singh was informed in the meeting that sowing for maize had been completed in 1.80 lakh hectares and ‘Urad’ in 61,000 hectares so far.Moreover, nearly 4 lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers, including Urea, DAP, NPK and others, MOP and Superphosphate have been distributed to farmers till date during the ongoing Kharif season, they informed.The officials further informed the Chief Minister that fairly good amount of rainfall in the month of July has brought brisk momentum in agricultural activity in the State.
Nearly 87 per cent of the sowing work for all crops including paddy besides other Kharif crops had been already completed, they informed Moreover, during the current Kharif season, as on July 31, a total of Rs1,889 crore have been distributed as agricultural loan in ‘both cash and kind’ at zero per cent interest rate. This includes 50 per cent cash and 50 per cent as fertilizers and seeds, the Chief Minister was informed.Nearly 8.9 lakh farmers are availing the agricultural loan facility this Kharif season. In the meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed the progress of fertilizer and seed distribution activity in State.
Singh has directed the officials to ensure availability of fertilizers and seeds in cooperative societies in sufficient quantity and also to ensure systematic distribution of the stock.The Chief Minister also directed that the availability and distribution of stock at Cooperative societies should be reviewed on a weekly basis at the level of collectors and Deputy Director level in every district.
Singh also directed officials to constantly monitor water level of irrigation reservoirs, rivers and water bodies.The officials further informed in the meeting that this monsoon season between June 1 to July 31, nearly 539 mm of average rainfall has been recorded in State, which is 5 per cent less than the average rainfall recorded in the duration of previous year.
Compared to the average rainfall of last 10 years, 22 out of 27 districts of the State have recorded more than 80 per cent rainfall in last two months. This includes Koriya, Surajpur, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Bilaspur, Mungeli, Mahasamund, Raipur, Balodabazar-Bhatapara, Gariaband, Kabeerdham, Rajnandgaon, Durg, Bemetara, Balod, Dhamtari, Kanker, Jagdalpur, Kondagaon, Narayanpur and Sukma.
Moreover, there has been 60 to 80 per cent rainfall in four districts namely Surguja, Balrampur, Dantewada and Bijapur and 40 to 60 per cent rainfall in Jashpur district.Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Department, Ajay Singh were present in the meeting.