Agartala, April 1, 2025: On the final day of the Tripura Assembly’s Budget Session, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Tuesday detailed the extensive relief measures undertaken by the Farmers Welfare Department in response to last year’s devastating floods. Responding to an question by MLA Sudip Sarkar, the minister provided a comprehensive account of the aid extended to affected farmers.

“A total of 1,93,728 farmers in the state were impacted by the severe floods last year,” said Nath. “To support them, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has facilitated the purchase of essential farming inputs such as seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, and pesticides. The government has spent ₹24.46 crore on these relief measures.”

Highlighting the scale of the disaster, the minister noted that the cultivable land of 11,850 farmers had been rendered temporarily unfit for farming due to the accumulation of sand and silt. He assured that necessary interventions were underway to restore agricultural productivity.

Nath clarified that the department does not gather information based on assembly constituencies but instead relies on data collected at the block, agricultural subdivision, and district levels.

“With ₹5 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), we have provided direct benefit transfers to farmers for the immediate removal of sand and silt from 2,778 hectares of land,” he stated. “Further assistance will be provided in accordance with the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines.”

The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that affected farmers receive timely support to resume their agricultural activities.