Odisha govt in constant touch with Centre to resolve fertiliser crisis: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (PTI) The Odisha government is in regular touch with the Centre to resolve the issue of fertiliser scarcity in the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Saturday.

The ruling BJD has been raising the issues of fertiliser shortage and non-payment of crop insurance.

“The problems of farmers are of concern for the entire state. I am in constant touch with the Union government to streamline supply of fertilisers for farmers of Odisha. We have also drawn the Centre’s attention towards MSP on paddy and disbursement of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,” Patnaik said.

Patnaik, in a letter to the Centre on July 31, had noted that fertiliser allocation declined during the months of May, June and July.

The chief minister on Saturday disbursed Rs 743 crore among over 37 lakh small and marginal farmers under the state’s flagship KALIA scheme on the occasion of ‘Nuakhai’, an agrarian festival.

Patnaik transferred Rs 2,000 each to the bank accounts of 37,12,914 such farmers as assistance to undertake Rabi crop cultivation.

He said his government has disbursed Rs 3,200 crore to farmers so far since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.

“Deficient rainfall during August has also caused problems for farmers. However, I am optimistic the situation will improve as there has been rainfall for the past few days due to the creation of a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal,” the CM said. Till September 2, Odisha received 29.3 per cent less rainfall than normal for the peak monsoon season from June 1 to August 31, officials said.

Paddy crop cultivation in about 102 blocks spread over 20 districts have been adversely impacted due to inadequate rainfall, they said. PTI AAM RBT RBT