Odisha govt declares unseasonal rain as natural calamity

Bhubaneswar, Jan 3 (IANS) In the wake of massive crop losses due to the recent untimely rainfall in coastal districts in Odisha, the state government has declared the unseasonal rains as natural calamity.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced while participating in the three-day Krushi Odisha-2025 programme which began here on Friday.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the event here on Friday, CM Majhi said, "The unseasonal rain that took place in Odisha last month caused massive damages in 16 coastal districts of the state. So, I have sent the Ministers to the affected districts for an on-ground assessment of the damages. Assessment was also carried out at the department level."

He said that the on-ground visits by Ministers, including CM Majhi himself, and the analysis by authorities brought to notice the massive damages caused by untimely rainfall.

The farmers in the affected districts have suffered damages to crops, he added.

He said that the farmers, including sharecroppers and those doing vegetable, cotton and betel farming, who are not included under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, have also suffered huge crop losses due to untimely rainfall.

"So, we have instructed officials to assess the losses. After receipt of the assessment report on the damages, we have declared unseasonal rainfall as a natural calamity," CM Majhi added.

The Chief Minister also said that the unseasonal rain was earlier outside the purview of natural calamity as per the Odisha Relief Code.

He further noted that as many as 6,66, 720 farmers suffered crop losses in 2,26,791 hectares of land in the affected districts.

CM Majhi said that those farmers who suffered damages above 33 per cent of the total crop are eligible to get financial aid from the state government.

He also added that the state government will spend Rs 291.59 crore out of the State Disaster Relief Fund to provide the compensation as an input subsidy to the farmers.

While addressing the gathering at the Krushi Odisha-2025 event, CM Majhi said that 2.61 lakh farmers have applied for compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The disbursement of compensation amount has also started from Friday, the Chief Minister added.

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