Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary Transfers Over ₹200 Crore to Farmers Hit by Unseasonal Weather. Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui
By A Correspondent
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on Monday transferred more than ₹200 crore directly into the bank accounts of over 3.96 lakh farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), providing major relief to those affected by storms, unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms during the third and fourth weeks of March 2026 in the Rabi 2025–26 season. The transfer was carried out under the Agriculture Input Subsidy Scheme at the ‘Sankalp Sabhagar’ at the Lok Sevak residence.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that climate change has led to frequent natural disturbances such as unseasonal rain, storms and hail, causing considerable losses to farmers. He assured that the government is extending every possible assistance from its treasury to those affected by such disasters. He emphasised that the Agriculture Input Subsidy Scheme is not merely a financial aid programme, but also a means to restore confidence and stability among farmers.
He further informed that reports of more than 33 per cent crop damage were received from 13 districts—Saharsa, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Madhepura, Araria, Begusarai, Purnia, Darbhanga, Kishanganj, Khagaria, Madhubani, Supaul and Bhagalpur—due to the March 2026 natural calamity. To ensure immediate relief, ₹200 crore was allocated by the Disaster Management Department, while an additional ₹60.71 crore was sanctioned following a request from the Agriculture Department. In total, ₹260.71 crore has been earmarked to support affected farmers.
The Chief Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the welfare of farmers and the strengthening of the agricultural sector are being given top priority. He said that just two days ago, funds under the PM-Kisan scheme were released to farmers, and benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana are being directly delivered. He urged farmers in the state to take advantage of these schemes.
He added that both the Central and State governments, working together under the ‘double engine’ framework, are committed to increasing farmers’ income, making agriculture more secure and sustainable, and compensating losses caused by natural disasters. The financial assistance, he said, will help affected farmers resume agricultural activities and strengthen their economic condition.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Deepak Kumar, Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit, Development Commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh, Agriculture Department Principal Secretary Narmadeshwar Lal, and Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjay Kumar Singh were among the senior officials present at the event.
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