By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 7, 2015 : With the specter of drought haunting Odisha, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday deputed a Central team to take stock of the drought situation in the State because of deficit rainfall.

The five-member Central team led by additional commissioner of agriculture ministry R.P. Malik visited drought affected areas of Bolangir, Baragarh and Sonepur districts on Wednesday. districts and held discussions with the farmers.

“Our objective is to hold discussion with the farmers and have assessed the effect of deficit rainfall on the paddy crop. As per our assessment paddy crop has been affected by drought and in certain places the crop has failed,” Malik told media persons.

The team, which comprises of senior officials of the Odisha government and a representative of the ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttac is also likely to visit Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Khordha, Kandhamal and Boudh districts, officials said.

The Central team will hold a discussion with the State agriculture director after visiting the sites.
The Team is visiting Odisha after the union agriculture and farmers welfare minister Radha Mohan Singh directed the ministry a Central team to visit drought affected regions in Odisha and take stock of the situation.