Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: In the wake of crop loss due to scanty rain fall in 14 districts of Odisha resulting in drought like condition, the State government announced a slew of measures including exemption of water tax for the farmers on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a review meeting with district collectors through video conferencing programme directed to withhold recovery of loans by cooperative societies and maintaining a close watch on unscrupulous money lenders who might take advantage of the plights of the farmers.
Moreover, distribution of agriculture subsidy in non-irrigated drought affected areas, where no cultivation has been undertaken, will begin by November 10. In this regard, the collectors have been directed to employ retired and experienced field officials for both loss estimation and subsidy distribution.
