Odisha CM Patnaik chairs legislative party meeting ahead of monsoon session

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 1 : Ahead of the Monsoon session of the State Assembly, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a legislative party meeting on Tuesday.
The monsoon session of the Assembly is scheduled from September 1.
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also reviewed the possible drought situation in the state and directed the administration to implement a contingency crop plan for farmers.
Patnaik said that the lack of rainfall in 213 blocks of the state is likely to affect agricultural activities and directed the Department of Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment to be vigilant and monitor the situation on a daily basis. He also advised the concerned collectors to take immediate measures at the field level.
The Chief Minister advised the officials to maintain proper coordination between contingency crop planning, canal water flow and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He directed them to provide farmers with seeds and mini-kits for the second crop in case of crop failure and provide diesel pumps to the farmers at a discounted rate to protect the crops.