BHUBANESWAR | Sunday, August 7, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back Crop situation in Balangir grim, admits Minister August 06, 2011 9:33:59 PM

BHUBANESWAR | Sunday, August 7, 2011 | Email | Print | | Back

Crop situation in Balangir grim, admits Minister
August 06, 2011 9:33:59 PM
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PNS | Balangir

The crop situation in Balangir district is grim in view of erratic and inadequate rainfall and absence water in the minor irrigation (MI) and other projects. This was told to the media on Friday by Revenue Minister Surjya Narayan Patro after visiting Bargaon, Talsar, Bhata, Bhadra, Badgonmunda and Kapsila villages in Saintala, Degoan and Gudvella blocks and interacting with farmers.

Balangir district has received a deficit rainfall of 43 per cent, and as a result, paddy crop in 89,050 hectares of land out of the 1,20,508 hectares has been affected badly. Due to the absence of adequate rainfall, the transplanting process has also not been taken up in the district.

Although the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed immediate repair of lift irrigation (LI) points and release of water from MIPs through canal to fight drought conditions, most of the irrigation facilities are in a dry state

As such, only nine per cent of the total land of the district is having irrigation facilities. The Government is still striving to complete the Lower Suktel Project for irrigation. The land acquisition process for the project is expected to be over in three months. Besides this, after the completion of the Lower Indra Project in Nuapada district it would also provide irrigation to parts of Balangir district.
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