Naveen’s Rs 1600 cr cyclone package for farmers, women SHGs

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced Rs 1,600 crore relief package for farmers and members of women self help groups (SHG)s affected by Cyclone Fani that battered parts of coastal Odisha on May 3, killing 43 people, rendering lakhs homeless and damaging infrastructure worth crores.
This package is in addition to the financial assistance of Rs 2000, 50 kg rice and polythene sheets that he had announced for the severely affected in Puri and Khurda districts within days of the cyclone’s landfall.
Naveen also announced waiver of school and exam fees in government educational institutions up to the high school level in the affected districts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada for the current academic year. Besides, the government would provide two extra pair of school uniforms in areas extremely affected by the cyclone and one pair in less affected till the secondary level.
Initial reports suggest more than 1.52 lakh hectares of agriculture land have been affected by the cyclone. The government’s relief package intends to alleviate the farmers’ woes and help them take up fresh livelihood activities. More than one lakh farmers are expected to benefit from the package with the chief minister emphasising that actual cultivators should get the benefits.
Announcing the relief measure after a high-level meeting here at the state secretariat, Naveen said agriculture input subsidy of Rs 6,800 per hectare would be provided for non-irrigated areas, Rs 13,500 per hectare for assured irrigation and Rs 18,000 per hectare for all kinds of perennial crops like mango, cashew, betel vine, coconut and kewra.
Since many people in the affected districts depend on betel vine cultivation, the chief minister said an incentive of Rs 15,000 per farmer would be provided. Similarly, incentive of Rs 25,000 per hectare would be given to banana cultivators in the affected districts.
“One lakh vegetable mini-kits will be supplied to Fani-affected districts,” said Naveen who had earlier announced one month’s additional pension (old age, widow and destitute) and house building assistance as per the relief code. The government had announced house damage assistance of Rs 95,100 for fully damaged structures, Rs 5,200 for partially damaged and Rs 3,200 for structures with minor damages.
Meanwhile, the short-term loans advanced to farmers for the Rabi season has been restructured as medium-term loans without any extra interest rate. Due dates for repayment of crop loans have also been rescheduled in the affected areas. The state agriculture department has also assured support to farmers in terms of training and procurement of equipment like pump sets, tractors and power tillers, sources said. The farmers in the affected districts would also be extended benefits in terms of water and land tax.
For those depending on mushroom cultivation, the government has announced to provide Rs 40,000 per unit for the construction of shade nets or thatched structures. The storm has severely damaged the mushroom sheds in Puri, Khurda, Kendrapada, Cuttack and parts of Jagatsinghpur districts.
For loss of livestock, the government announced compensation of Rs 30,000 for each milch cow and buffalo, Rs 25,000 per draught animal and Rs 3,000 for each goat. Financial assistance of Rs 50,000 would be provided for construction of cow and goat sheds.
The chief minister also announced a package for the fishing community. As part of the package, half of the price of a new fibre reinforced plastic boat, costing Rs 80,000, and 50% of the cost of a net — valued at Rs 20,000 — would be provided to fishermen and women.
Official sources said the damage to the fisheries sector is estimated to be around Rs 10.37 crore. More than 6500 boats and 7500 fishing nets have been damaged along with around 300 hectares of fish pond.
“Financial assistance of Rs 12,200 per hectare will be provided to the fish farmers,” said Naveen who later launched an online platform called Rebuild Odisha, which hopes to raise funds from people for various infrastructure projects in the cyclone affected districts.
For women self help groups, the chief minister assured additional seed money of Rs 10,000 with community investment fund of Rs 1 lakh for each SHG. Similarly, women SHGs in affected districts engaged in preparation of rations, would be provided Rs 50,000 each.
EoM