Agartala, June 26, 2024: In a bid to double farmers’ income across the state, over 81,000 farmers in Tripura are set to receive financial aid from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the PM-Fasal Bima Yojana, amounting to Rs 23.21 crore. The distribution program is scheduled to be held on July 4 at Jolaibari in South Tripura district.

Addressing a press conference at the Civil Secretariat in Agartala on Wednesday afternoon, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath elaborated on the relief measures. “The farmers of the state suffered devastating losses, with various crops, including paddy, being severely damaged due to cyclone ‘Midhili’ from November 16-18, 2023, and cyclone ‘Michaung’ from December 06-08, 2023,” Nath said.

He detailed the extent of the damage, stating, “Paddy crops of 58,210 farmers, cultivated over 23,171 hectares, were assessed to have been damaged by the SDRF. Farmers who incurred losses over one hectare will receive Rs 8,500, with the highest compensation set at Rs 18,500 and the lowest at Rs 1,000. This aid is conditional upon rainfall of 64mm recorded within a 24-hour period.”

The minister also highlighted the impact on horticulture, stating, “The cyclone also damaged tomatoes of 20,078 farmers across the state, who will be receiving a benefit of Rs 7.38 crore.”

In addition to the SDRF assessment, officials from the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department and the insurance company under PMFBY evaluated the losses according to their guidelines. “A total of 874 farmers and 2,139 farmers were found to have incurred losses due to ‘Midhili’ and ‘Michaung’ cyclones, respectively. These farmers will be compensated with Rs 1.03 crore under the Fasal Bima Yojana,” Nath explained.

This comprehensive relief effort underscores the government’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector in Tripura, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on farmers and bolster their resilience against future disasters.