The decision on drought in Jharkhand is likely to be taken following a visit of a central team very soon as the block-wise assessment
report has been sent to the Centre by the State Government. Meanwhile, the process of implementation of schemes worth `1398 crore has also been started so that early relief could be provided to the farmers in the worst affected areas of the State.
“We have already appraised the centre regarding the current status of state and the final call will be taken from there only. Block wise assessment report has also been forwarded to the center in this regard,” said Agriculture Director Jatashankar Chaudhary.
Seeds of Rabi crop have been made available to the farmers through large Area Multi Purpose Societies (lAMPS) and Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) in the state, said the Director.
State Project Officer (Disaster Management) Colonel S.K. Srivastava also asserted that a team from Center will visit the state following which final call in this regard will be taken.
Process of implementation of schemes worth `1398 crore have already been started with immediate effect. “Meanwhile, schemes announced earlier by state government are being started in the worst affected areas of the state,” said Colonel Srivastava.
The Government was to distribute 9000 pumping sets among farmers in various districts of Jharkhand and to spend Rs 35 crore on deepening 260 big Government ponds to be completed before January 2016.
Moreover, construction of 500 permanent check dams and deep bore wells to be run by solar power was in progress. Farmers would also be updated through SMS alerts about the schemes. Agriculture Equipment Banks with the cost of `16 crore would be made operational in all the blocks by December 2015.
Records available with the state Government suggests that due to low rainfall, paddy cultivation in the State has suffered 38 per cent damage, maize by 27 per cent and oil seeds by 13.5 per cent. 64 per cent blocks have witnessed crop loss of more than 50 per cent whereas in 62 blocks the damage is above 40 per cent due to the scanty rainfall in the season.
Government earlier had decided to send a memorandum to the Centre based on the block-wise assessment of damage to crops. The assessment, according to the officials, would be done based on crop harvest data to be gathered as soon as possible so that further decision could be taken further. Besides, considering the alarming situation farmers would be given assistance on war footing.
The assessment was to be done based on crop harvest data to be gathered as soon as possible so that further decision can be taken based on that. Besides, considering the alarming situation farmers would be given assistance on war footing.