Balasore, 18/9 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): On the first day of the monsoon session of the State Assembly, which began on Thursday, MLA of Basta Constituency, Subasini Jena, demanded compensation for farmers affected by floods.
Between June 20 and August 24, the Basta and Baliapal areas of the Basta Constituency experienced six instances of flooding—the first such occurrence in the past half-century. As a result, nearly 500 acres of farmland were rendered uncultivable for the first time. Farmers who had planted paddy and other crops saw their fields completely washed away. This devastation has left the farmers in severe distress. Therefore, Mrs. Jena asked whether the government would provide relief to the affected farmers as per official regulations.
In response, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that between June 20 and August 24 this year, the Basta and Baliapal areas experienced six floods. In the first phase, damage to 489 hectares of farmland was assessed, and the government provided financial assistance of ₹4,33,859 to the district. Steps are being taken by district officials to ensure the affected farmers receive the aid promptly.
Additionally, repeated flooding of the Subarnarekha River prevented harvesting in some paddy fields. Fields that had been prepared and sown were washed away by the floods. Considering this, the government has decided to provide financial assistance to the affected farmers. In the second phase, damage to 7,511 hectares of farmland was assessed, and the government has arranged to provide ₹6.38 crore to the Balasore district as compensation.
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