Centre approves Rs 511 crore for drought, flood-hit Rajasthan, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday approved Rs 511-crore assistance for Rajasthan, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh – the states affected by floods and droughts in 2012. Further, an additional grant of Rs 256 crore was given to Maharashtra for rejuvenation of orchards.

However, the high-level committee didn’t take a decision on extending the duty-free import of oil cakes for next six months, which is vital for steady availability and stable prices of fodder. The finance ministry is expected to assess the demand and supply situation of oil cakes in the country.

Out of the total amount, approved under the National Disaster Management Fund, Rs 320 crore would be released to Rajasthan for the drought relief assistance. Further, over Rs 147 crore was allocated to Arunachal Pradesh and Rs 44 crore to Nagaland, which were impacted by floods in the previous year. “The proposal on providing additional assistance of Rs 256 crore to protect orchards in drought-hit districts of Maharashtra has been approved,” said Pawar.

Over Rs 400 crore have been already been released under the National Horticulture Mission through a special scheme launched in April this year for rejuvenation of orchards in the drought-affected regions of Maharashtra. Under this scheme, the Centre will bear 50 per cent costs, while the rest will come from the farmer.

The EGoM also approved a proposal to provide feed concentrates at Rs 1 a kg per cattle per day under the National Mission on Protein Supplements during the current fiscal year as well. Similarly, the assistance to feed and feed supplements for goats and sheep has been extended for a year under the National Mission on Protein Supplements.

Besides Pawar, the EGoM meeting was attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Food Minister KV Thomas. The committee has already approved Rs 3,039.31 crore for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Kerala, affected by drought conditions in 2012.

On the issue of duty-free import of oil cakes, Chidambaram said: “This has to be decided on file at the department level after assessing the domestic production and import level.” Extending the duty-waiver to other varieties of oil cakes like copra cake, palm kernel cake and rice bran extraction will also be decided on file and will be communicated to the EGoM chair, he said.