As per data shared in the meeting, 33 per cent and above of standing crop, covering a total area of 54,022 hectares in six Bihar districts of Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, Gaya and East Champatran, have suffered damages in unseasonal rains and hailstorm on March 17, officials said.

The Bihar government has decided to provide compensation to farmers in six districts affected by unseasonal rains against crop losses following a report submitted by the respective district magistrates, officials said, adding that a sum of ₹92 crore would be provided to the state agriculture department by the diaster management department for paying compensation to farmers as per norms.

A directive to this effect was issued by chief minister Nitish Kumar at a high-level meeting held on Wednesday evening in which top officials of the agriculture and diaster management departments were present, a press release said.

As per data shared in the meeting, 33 per cent and above of standing crop, covering a total area of 54,022 hectares in six districts of Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, Gaya and East Champatran, have suffered damages in unseasonal rains and hailstorm on March 17, officials said.

“We will invite applications from farmers soon. The compensation would be paid as per norms for irrigated and non-irrigated land per hectare,” said an official in the agriculture department.

Officials said the affected farmers would be eligible to get ₹6,800 per hectare for non-irrigated land and ₹13,500 per hectare for irrigated land.

Agriculture department had earlier asked DMs to send reports of crop damages so that the process of paying compensation could be initiated. 

There are about 1.90 crore farmers registered with the state agriculture department.

“Wheat crop has suffered the maximum damage in the recent hailstorms, apart from horticulture crops in a few districts in north Bihar, including Muzaffarpur,” said another official.

The meeting on Wednesday was attended by chief secretary Amir Subhani, additional chief secretary (finance) S Siddharth, agriculture secretary N Sarvana Kumar and secretary and diaster management department’s Sanjay Kumar Agarwal.

Source - https://www.hindustantimes.com