The Times of India.
BHUBANESWAR: The extent of damage to paddy crop due to unseasonal rainfall has been termed as "extensive", by a central team visiting the state. The team said it would soon submit its reports even as chief minister Naveen Patnaik estimated the loss at around Rs 6,000 crore.
"The crop loss due to unseasonal rain in December is extensive as well as substantial. We will submit our report to the Centre shortly," Pankaj Kumar, joint secretary in the union agriculture ministry, who is heading the team told reporters after meeting the chief minister and other senior officials here.
Stating that damage of paddy crop was huge in all the eight districts the team visited, Kumar said the central assistance would be fixed on the basis of their report.
Replying to a question on the extent of crop damage in coastal districts which did not figure in the list of the state government's momorandum to the Centre, Kumar said as per the assessment of the team most farmers in the state have been affected.
On the state government's demand for relaxation of the FAQ (fair average quality) of paddy, Kumar said "the central government will soon take a decision in this regard."
Replying to another question relating to the state government's alleged negligence by the centre, Kumar said that the central team's report on the drought situation was also under the process.
Meanwhile, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said "he was optimistic on early release of central assistance for the suferring farmers hit by the unseasonal rain in the state."
