In the year 2021, Bihar has suffered crop damage worth Rs 998.11 crore due to floods and heavy rain. The Agriculture Department has sent its report to the Disaster Management Department for input grant. Agriculture Minister Amarendra Pratap Singh said in a release issued by the department on Friday that the damage caused to Kharif crops would be compensated soon.
He added that in 2021, the assessment of crop damage due to floods/excess rain and the land left fallow due to various reasons has been done. The damage assessment report has been made available to the department by the District Agriculture Officers of the respective districts.
So far, now the assessment of crop damage from 30 districts of the state has been received by the Agriculture Department. According to this, 33 percent or more crop damage has been reported in 6,45,708.63 hectares of total 283 blocks with a total estimated amount of Rs 875.27 crore.
Similarly, for the loss of 1,41,227.71 hectares left fallow in 17 districts due to various reasons, 96.03 crore i.e. 971.30 crore loss has been assessed for a total loss of 7,86,936.34 hectares. Similarly, in September last, i.e. from 30th September 2021 to 04 October 2021, the damage caused to the crops due to rain in the state has also been assessed, in which 6 districts namely Patna, Nalanda, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, West Champaran, and East Champaran Damage has been reported. A requirement of Rs 26.81 crore has been assessed for over 33 percent damage in 18,067.65 hectares in these six districts.
The Minister said that the Chief Minister himself has also conducted an aerial survey of the area with excessive rainfall and its review has also been done. Assessing on these lines, in the light of the damage report received from the district magistrates, the report of 971.30 crore and 26.81 crore (total 998.11) crore in the input grant item for crop damage caused due to flood / excessive rain, fallow land, and continuous rain was sent by the Agriculture Department to the Disaster Management Department.
On receipt of funds from the Disaster Management Department, farmers affected by floods will be provided assistance for proper crop compensation as per rules. All possible help will be provided by the government to all the farmers affected by these unavoidable natural factors. Lack of funds shall not come in the way of crop compensation.
