Bhubaneswar: A virtual review meeting was held at the office of the Special Relief Commissioner to assess the damage to crops and properties caused by unseasonal rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system between May 27 and May 30, 2025. The meeting focused on evaluating the extent of the damage and planning compensation for affected individuals.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Special Relief Commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Vice-Chancellor of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology Dr. Prabhat Kumar Roul, and District Collectors from various districts, among others. They discussed the damage assessment and compensation measures.
At the outset, Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Branch of the India Meteorological Department, provided detailed information on the current low-pressure situation and the weather forecast for the coming days. According to available data, the state recorded an average of 41.9 mm of rainfall between May 27 and May 30. Eight districts—Kendrapara, Kalahandi, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Bhadrak, Sonepur, and Rayagada—received over 50 mm of rainfall, while 22 other districts recorded between 10 and 50 mm.
Minister Pujari stated that the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, in collaboration with the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department, is conducting a joint survey to assess the damage. The state government has declared the unseasonal rainfall a natural disaster, ensuring that every affected farmer and individual with damaged property receives compensation. The government is vigilant to ensure no one is deprived of relief, he added.
Minister Pujari further noted that once District Collectors submit their damage assessment reports promptly, the government will take immediate steps to provide compensation.
