Bhubaneswar: With the impending threat of Cyclone “Montha”, the Agriculture Department held a crucial preparatory meeting today under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee. The meeting focused on implementing stringent measures to mitigate crop damage and ensure a swift post-cyclone loss assessment.
Dr. Padhee issued a firm directive, immediately banning all leaves for agriculture officers until October 31st. He stressed that any violation of this order would result in disciplinary action, underscoring the severity of the situation and the department’s commitment to farmers’ welfare.
The Principal Secretary emphasized the critical need for timely dissemination of the Agriculture Department’s advisory to all farmers. He mandated the use of all possible communication channels to convey essential instructions, such as: Covering and shifting already harvested crops to higher and safer locations and Draining excess water from agricultural fields to prevent inundation.
Dr. Padhee also outlined immediate steps for the post-cyclone scenario. Agriculture officers have been instructed to proceed to the fields immediately after the water recedes to begin the crop damage assessment. He reinforced the directive from Deputy Chief Minister Shri K V Singhdeo, stating unequivocally that “no affected farmer should be left out” in the assessment process.
Highlighting the importance of crop insurance, the meeting noted that 14.17 lakh hectares of agricultural land in the state are currently insured. Farmers affiliated with the PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) were reminded of the available channels to apply for insurance claims: the NCIP portal, the toll-free number 14447, or the WhatsApp chatbot number 7065514447.
The meeting concluded with confirmation that the Agriculture Department’s control room is fully prepared and operational. The event was attended by Director, Agriculture Shri Shubham Saxena, Additional Secretary Dr. Ganeshwar Jena, and other senior department officers, with Chief District Agriculture Officers and Assistant Horticulture Officers joining via video conference. Dr. Padhee’s decisive leadership aims to minimize the impact of “Montha” and provide immediate relief to the state’s farming community.