Odisha CM Assures Farmers of Assistance After Crop Damage from Unseasonal Rain
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi conducted field visits in three districts on Sunday to assess crop damage caused by recent unseasonal rainfall. He assured farmers that the government would provide support to those affected. Farmers in coastal Odisha have been hit hard by the unexpected rainfall that began on December 20.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari and others, visited paddy fields in Nayagarh, Gajapati, and Ganjam districts. During the visits, he interacted with farmers to understand their concerns. Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy also joined Majhi during his visit to the Ranpur Assembly segment to oversee the damage.
Majhi explained that the unseasonal rain impacted several districts in two phases between December 20 and 28. The rain has caused significant damage to standing paddy crops, vegetables, cotton, and betel leaf cultivation. He expressed the government’s commitment to supporting farmers and stated that assistance would be provided following damage assessment.
The Chief Minister noted that special measures are being considered for farmers whose crops were not insured under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, as well as for sharecroppers. He requested farmers to report their crop losses through the ‘Krishi Rakshak’ app or by calling the toll-free number 14447.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida visited distressed farmers in Bhadrak and Balasore districts. Another Deputy Chief Minister, K V Singh Deo, assessed rainfall-hit areas in the Niali Block of Cuttack and also visited Jagatsinghpur district.
Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra traveled to Kendrapara and Jajpur districts, while Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samant met with farmers in Khurda district. The Odisha government has decided to extend assistance to all affected farmers—both insured and uninsured—according to state and central norms. This support will be delivered through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to ensure prompt help.
