Bihar Cooperative Department to Start Process of Compensating Farmers for Crop Loss

The Bihar cooperative department has announced that farmers can now register compensation claims on its website for losses caused by unseasonal rain and hailstorm in March. The department will provide compensation to farmers for their loss in yield under its crop assistance scheme, in addition to the financial aid given by the agriculture department. The window for submitting claims has been opened on the cooperative department's website.

The Bihar government did not implement the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme in the state, as it believed that the premium to be paid by farmers for coverage was too high. Instead, in 2018, the state government launched its own crop insurance scheme, under which farmers do not have to pay any premium but need to register for it. Each farmer can get monetary assistance up to ₹20,000 in case of loss in production due to any reason, including poor quality seed, excessive heat, or shortage of fertilisers.

The state agriculture department has already allocated ₹92 crore to compensate farmers in six districts, including Gaya, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, and East Champaran, for the damage to standing crops on around 54,000 hectares due to untimely rains during March 21-24.

The department has received claims from around 1.15 lakh farmers, which are currently being evaluated. The agriculture department is expected to transfer the amount to the farmers' accounts through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme by next month.

Farmers can receive ₹22,500 for every acre of land in case of crop loss due to a natural disaster if the land is suitable for multiple cropping. A sum of ₹17,000 is offered for loss of crop on each acre of irrigated land, and ₹8,500 for non-irrigated land.

Farmers receive compensation for a maximum of two acres, while the minimum compensation for each farmer is ₹1,000, ₹2,000, and ₹2,500 for non-irrigated, irrigated, and multiple cropping fields, respectively, from the agriculture department.

Farmers can receive monetary aid under the state's crop assistance scheme and its crop insurance scheme. The state agriculture department has already allocated ₹92 crore to compensate farmers for crop loss due to untimely rains, and the funds are expected to be transferred to farmers' accounts through the DBT scheme by next month.

source- Hindustan Times

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