Odisha CM declares unseasonal rain as ‘natural calamity’; to provide relief from SDRF

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday declared the unseasonal rain in December last year as a “natural calamity” to facilitate the disbursement of compensation from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to farmers for crop damage due to the untimely weather event.

Addressing the ‘Krushi Odisha Conclave’ 2025 in Bhubaneswar, he said farmers who have lost 33 per cent or more crops due to the unseasonal rain, would be provided assistance as per the provisions in the relief code.

The assistance of around Rs 291 crore will be given from the state disaster response fund (SDRF), he said.

“Unseasonal rain was not on the list of natural calamities in the state. However, keeping in view the crop damage and plight of farmers, our government today declares the unseasonal rain as a natural calamity in the state to facilitate the disbursement of compensation from the state disaster response fund,” he said.

According to district collectors, 6,66,720 farmers have so far reported 33 per cent or more crop loss due to rain between December 20 and 28, the chief minister said.

“These cultivators are entitled to get financial assistance of about Rs 291.59 crore as compensation,” he said.

Crop on around 2,26,791 hectares of agricultural land has been damaged by the untimely weather event, he added.