Farmers to get financial aid for crops damaged by Cyclone Yaas

Farmers in Bihar, who lost their standing rabi, maize and garma seasonal crops during the recent Cyclone Yaas, would be compensated for the damage as a proposal of ₹99 crore has been prepared by the state agriculture department after carrying a crop damage survey

Farmers in Bihar, who lost their standing rabi, maize and garma seasonal crops during the recent Cyclone Yaas, would be compensated for the damage as a proposal of ₹99 crore has been prepared by the state agriculture department after carrying a crop damage survey. The cyclone had hit the eastern Indian states, including Bihar, from May 26 to 30.

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The agriculture department’s survey report has assessed that thousands of farmers lost their standing crops in 73,000 hectares of land spread in 16 districts. Sources said the proposal has been sent to the disaster management department for vetting and would be put before the cabinet soon for approval.

“Our field officers in 16 districts affected by the cyclone carried the survey to assess crop damage. A proposal has been sent to the disaster management for compensation worth ₹99 crore. It is under process and will get approval soon,” said, agriculture department secretary N Saravana Kumar.

Under the compensation package, each selected farmer would get ₹6,800 per hectare for non-irrigated land against crop damages while ₹13,500 per hectare would be given to selected farmers who suffered crop damages on irrigated land. As per norms, the damages should be minimum of 33% of standing crops to qualify for the compensation. The total number of farmers to be benefitted from the compensation package is still unknown as the list of beneficiaries is under process.

“Once the approval of the compensation proposal comes, we will start the disbursements to farmers immediately,” said a senior official. Officials said the cyclone had caused extensive damage to standing garma crops, mainly pulses, besides some varieties of paddy and maize. The garma crops are sown during March and harvested by June between the main Rabi and Kharif seasons. Certain medicinal plants are also sown during garma season.

Meanwhile, the agriculture department has started giving fresh seeds to farmers who suffered damages of seedlings of paddy and other Kharif crops in the floods in four districts, including the Tirhut region. “We are carrying the assessment of damage to seedlings of paddy and other crops in four flood-hit districts and started giving fresh seeds to affected farmers for alternative crops,” said the secretary, agriculture.

He also said that the department has started assessing damages to sugarcane crops in districts like Muzaffarpur and East Champaran, where floods have affected some areas.