Odisha govt to compensate farmers through DBT for Cyclone Dana crop damage

Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: The Odisha government announced on Saturday that farmers who experienced crop damage due to Cyclone Dana will receive appropriate compensation in line with the new relief guidelines. Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo, who oversees the Agriculture portfolio, conducted a review meeting to evaluate the extent of the damage to standing crops.

Singh Deo stated that compensation will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of eligible farmers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. “We have directed district officials to submit assessment reports following the guidelines established by the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC). Compensation will be disbursed accordingly,” he explained.

He also urged the public to avoid submitting false or misleading information to gain unfair advantages, warning that those who do so will face consequences.

Preliminary reports indicate that approximately 79,671 hectares of agricultural land across the state have been impacted by the cyclone. The districts most affected include Kendrapada, Jajpur, Balasore, and Bhadrak, with total damage estimated at 199,177 acres.

In Kendrapada alone, around 23,000 hectares were damaged, particularly in the areas of Rajkanika, Mahakalpara, and Aul. Bhadrak district reported crop damage affecting 24,115 hectares across Basudebpur, Chandbali, Bhandari Pokhari, and Dhamanagar, while Balasore experienced damage to 3,140 hectares. Mayurbhanj and Jajpur reported damages of 2,381 hectares and 2,709 hectares, respectively, with Jagatsinghpur seeing losses of 2,498 hectares.