Bhubaneswar, May 15: The Odisha government on Thursday declared unseasonal rainfall as a state-specific disaster, enabling compensation for farmers who suffer crop losses, according to an official statement.
The proposal, put forward by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, received approval from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
With this declaration, affected farmers will now be eligible for financial assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to cover crop damage caused by unseasonal rains. Up to 10 percent of the SDRF’s annual allocation may be used for this purpose.
Previously, state-specific disasters eligible for relief included heatwaves, whirlwinds, tornadoes, heavy rainfall, boat accidents in non-flooded areas, drowning, and snake bites. In addition to these, the Central Government recognizes 12 types of calamities for disaster relief support.
In December 2024, unseasonal rains damaged around 22,791 hectares of farmland across Odisha, impacting nearly 6.66 lakh farmers. In response to the devastation, Chief Minister Majhi not only declared unseasonal rain as a state-specific disaster but also approved ₹291 crore in farm input subsidies to support those affected.
