Odisha to Compensate Cyclone-Affected Farmers Under New SRC Guidelines

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced compensation for farmers who suffered crop losses due to Cyclone Dana, as per the revised guidelines of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC). In a review meeting held today, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment KV Singh Deo discussed the extent of the damage and outlined plans for disbursing aid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly to the bank accounts of eligible farmers.

Singh Deo instructed district officials to promptly submit assessment reports adhering to the SRC’s guidelines to expedite compensation distribution. “Compensation will be credited directly to the accounts of affected farmers through DBT, ensuring a streamlined and transparent process,” he said. He also cautioned the public against providing false information to claim undue benefits, noting that any misleading information would result in action.

Preliminary reports indicate that Cyclone Dana has impacted approximately 88,594 hectares of agricultural land, particularly in the districts of Kendrapara, Jajpur, Balasore, and Bhadrak. Kendrapara remains the hardest hit, with an estimated 28,426 hectares affected, including Rajkanika, Mahakalpara, and Aul regions. Bhadrak recorded crop losses on 24,827 hectares, particularly in Basudebpur, Chandbali, Bhandari Pokhari, and Dhamanagar, while Balasore and Mayurbhanj reported damage to 3,140 and 2,381 hectares, respectively. Jajpur experienced damage across 2,709 hectares.

Senior officials, including Dr. Arabinda Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, and district Collectors from the affected areas, joined the review meeting via video conference to discuss immediate relief measures.