Bhubaneswar, Dec 27 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a relief package of Rs 507 crore for farmers affected by the heavy rainfall caused due to cyclone Jawad that hit Odisha coast in the first week of this month.

According to the package, the small and marginal farmers, who have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above will receive agriculture input subsidy (cash assistance) of Rs 6,800 per hectare of land in rain-fed and non-irrigated areas while Rs 13,500 for areas under assured irrigation.

Similarly, the assistance for perennial crops like mango, cashew, coconut and betel vine will be Rs 18,000 per hectare.

Agricultural input subsidy not less than Rs 2,000 will be given to any affected farmer for perennial crops and Rs 1,000 for other crops, Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

Farmers in the affected 12 districts of Odisha will be provided with 12,000 quintals of high-quality certified paddy seeds along with a 25 per cent rebate from the current 2021-22 Kharif season and the rebate will be credited directly to the farmer's account through DBT.

The State government will also provide 50,000 mini kits of pulse seeds and 4 lakh pockets of vegetable seeds to the farmers free of cost. About 1 lakh farmers will get aid at the rate of Rs 4,000 per 0.20 hectares for cultivation of hybrid vegetable crops.

Similarly, a subsidy of Rs 50 crore will be provided to the cyclone affected farmers through DBT for procurement of technical agriculture equipment, said the statement.

About 5,000 pump sets and 5,000 sprayers with 50 per cent subsidy will be distributed among the farmers in the affected districts.

Steps will be taken to expedite the preparation of crop harvest reports for settlement of claims of the affected farmers covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), said the CMO, adding that short-term loans of farmers with 33 per cent and above crops damage in affected areas will be converted into medium-term loans.