Bhubaneswar, Aug 31 (PTI) With Odisha in the grip of dry spell due to scanty rainfall in peak monsoon period, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday directed officials to prepare a contingency crop plan and take measures to mitigate farmers' problems.

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Patnaik issued the direction while reviewing the prevailing dry situation in the state.

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He said as many as 213 of the state's 314 blocks have experienced deficient rainfall between June 1 and August 31 which may adversely impact cultivation activities in the state.

Instructing the agriculture and farmers empowerment department to keep a vigil on the dry spell which may lead to drought situation, Patnaik suggested that it should be reviewed on a daily basis and district collectors be told to take immediate measures to overcome the situation.

The chief minister said the government should remain prepared with an emergency plan for saving crops, ensure water flow in canals and proper implementation of MGNREGA in the affected areas.

“The farmers should be provided with fresh seeds where the crops have been damaged in kharif season and supply mini kits to affected farmers,” Patnaik said. Efforts should be made to keep crops alive which have not been completely damaged due to the dry spell, he said.

The farmers should be provided with diesel pump sets at subsidized prices so that they could use them for irrigation purposes, he said.

Patnaik also directed authorities to dig farm ponds in every half-an acre of cultivable land to facilitate irrigation to agricultural fields. He also asked the officials to repair all defunct lift irrigation projects within seven days so that the farmers can be provided with irrigation facilities on priority.

The chief minister said that livelihood of small and marginal farmers should be given priority and irrigation to agricultural lands in low lying areas be ensured and measures should be taken to recharge groundwater.

Patnaik also said that people and livestock should not face drinking water problems in the dry spell areas.

“Take all possible measures to minimize the adverse impact of dry spell on the people,” the chief minister said.

Patnaik also asked the district collectors to ensure provision of employment for people who may prefer to migrate to other places after crop loss due to deficient rainfall.

Participating in the meeting, chief secretary S C Mohapatra said the state has experienced 30 per cent less rainfall during the peak monsoon season. Though paddy cultivation has been adversely affected, the dry spell had apparently no impact on the non-paddy crops.

He said more mandays are being created under MGNREGA to provide employment for the distressed people.

The district collectors of Kalahandi, Sundergarh, Angul and Rayagada informed the chief minister on the situation in their respective areas, while the director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said the situation is likely to improve in September.

The IMD has forecast that the state will receive normal rainfall of 226.6 mm rainfall in September.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)