Utkal Reporter Bureau
Bhubanesear|24 Nov.2015
Odisha has claimed Rs1687cr from the center to fight against the drought it is reeling under at present. The state government placed this demand on Monday as it dispatched the interim drought report to the central government.
Odisha government has also asked for Rs 416cr additionally as input subsidy for the farming community. The demand incorporates Rs912.67cr for co-operative sector and Rs52.49cr for revival of small irrigation projects. Besides Rs81cr for cattle food and medicine and Rs 24.78cr for drinking water found place in the demand along with others.
As per the report 20484 villages in 25 districts in the state are in the grip of severe drought. Kharif crop in 8,82,720 Hectares of land has been damaged in this year’s bad monsoon induced drought leaving 1.50cr people in distress.
The union minister Nov .19 had sought drought report and financial memorandum for NDRF assistance from Odisha along with Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkahand, Telengana and Andhra Pradesh.
The state government has become a subject of attack for the opposition for not submitting the drought report and the memorandum to the center. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressing his concern had said on Nov.20 that the people of Odisha had the right to get assistance from NDRF but the state government had not submitted the memorandum to the union government in spite of being reminded by the agriculture ministry.
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