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our people,” Patnaik said on the praise tation drives in the coming monsoon ter refused to comment on it. “We are
received from the prime minister. season,” he said . waiting for our own assessment to be
He also admitted that considering On the question of seeking help complete,” he said. Asked what was the
the storm coincided with the general from international agencies like World biggest lesson he learnt as the head of
and assembly elections, it was an even Bank or ADB, he said that it could be a the state from this calamity, he said that
more difficult task for his govern- possibility. “For cyclone proof energy preparedness helps save lives.
ment. “And also summer cyclones are infrastructure, we would definitely The Odisha government, on its part,
a rarity,” said the 72-year-old Biju Janta explore all possibilities, including inter- has announced a 1,600 crore package
Dal president. Fani is unlike the other national support,” said Patnaik. for livelihood support for farmers, fish-
storms that Odisha is accustomed to, as According to an assessment by a ermen and others affected by Cyclone
most of them occurred between Octo- public general insurance company, Fani. Patnaik announced the package
ber and December. losses to crops, property and vehicles and included support for those de-
Asked how challenging it would be amount to nearly 3500 crore in wake pendant on animal husbandry, fisher-
now to bring Odisha back to normalcy, of Cyclone Fani, but the chief minis- ies, handloom and handicraft.
As per the announcement, agricul-
ture input subsidy of 6,800 per hectare
of land in non-irrigated areas, 13,500
per hectare of land in areas under
assured irrigation and 18,000 per hec-
tare for all types of perennial crops will
be provided to farmers who suffered
crop loss of 22 per cent or above.
An incentive of 15,000 per farmer
will be provided for those engaged in
betel cultivation, while 40,000 per
unit will be provided for construction
of shade net or thatched structure for
development of mushroom units
which were destroyed in the cyclone.
An incentive of 25,000 per hectare will
also be provided to farmers undertak-
ing banana cultivation.
To those who lost domestic animals
in the calamity, Patnaik said 30,000
will be given per milch cow and buf-
falo, 25,000 per draught animal and
3,000 per goat. A financial assistance
of 12,000 per hectare shall be provided
to fish farmers, Patnaik said.
Similarly, additional seed money of
he said his government is leaving no 10,000 will be given to the affected
stone unturned to do it quickly. “We Patnaik seeks special women self help groups in the cyclone
are putting our best efforts in bring- category status from hit areas. About 268 common facility
ing back normalcy. Power infrastruc- centres will be provided Rs 4 lakh each
ture has been completely destroyed, the Centre for Odisha, at the gram panchayat level in the ex-
especially in Puri and parts of Khurda saying it faces tremely affected areas.
districts where we have to re-electrify Patnaik also announced that 100
completely. Also lakhs of houses have natural calamities per cent remission in respect of cess on
been destroyed in addition to serious land for 2019-20 will be given to all the
damage to tree cover and plantation almost every year cyclone affected villages. There will be
crops,” he said. that cause massive 100 per cent exemption on water rate
He also said that rural housing was for farmers in places where crop loss is
one of the state government’s strengths, loss to infrastructure 33 per cent or more during this year’s
they were hopeful of completing all and hurt growth rabi season.
the five lakh houses in six months’ Cyclone Fani, which struck coastal
time. “We will also take up huge plan- of the state Odisha on May 3, apart from killing 43

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