Bhubaneswar: The chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, Wednesday directed the filed officers to take care that the standing crop of the farmers not affected due to the unseasonal rain that has been lashing several districts of the state since Tuesday.
Presiding over a high level ministerial meeting, Patnaik has directed that corrective measures be taken to help the farmers in protecting their crop from the rains. Stating that the position of the crop in filed be studies properly, he said corrective measures be taken to save those from rains. He also directed the officials to supervise proper implementation of the special package announced to help the farmers who suffered crop loss due to pest attack. Patnaik also directed that the paddy procurement be conducted with all seriousness and all the farmers be given the prices for the produce immediately.
The meeting was informed that paddy has been cultivated over 36.26 lakh hectares of land out of the total 59.93 lakh hectares cultivated during the Kharif 2017.
The meeting was attended by agriculture minister Damodar Rout, food and consumer welfare minister Surya Narayan Patro, chief secretary AP Padhi, development commissioner R.Balakrishnan, agriculture production commissioner Gagan Dhal, and OUAT vice chancellor Surendra Nath Pasupalak.
