Bihar Cooperative Minister Launches ₹32.83 Crore Crop Assistance Payment to Over 40,000 Farmers

State Cooperative Minister Dr. Prem Kumar on Saturday launched the payment of assistance amount to the farmers of Kharif 2023 season under Bihar State Crop Assistance Scheme. In a program organized at DNS Regional Cooperative Management Institute, Shastri Nagar, Patna, the Cooperative Minister launched the payment of assistance amount of Rs 32.83 crore to 40778 beneficiary farmers recommended by the District Level Coordination Committee. In this sequence, assistance amount was transferred to the accounts of beneficiary farmers of 21 districts today. A large number of beneficiary farmers were present in the District Cooperative Officer's office of all the districts in this program. The Cooperative Minister also interacted with the beneficiary farmers through V.C and listened to their problems.

On this occasion, Cooperative Minister Dr. Kumar said that the verification work of applications for Kharif 2023 season has almost been completed. Today assistance amount is being paid to 40778 beneficiary farmers. The process of payment to the remaining beneficiary farmers will be done soon. He said that Bihar Rajya Fasal Sahayata Yojana is an ambitious scheme of the state government. The main objective of this scheme is to provide financial assistance to farmers in case of crop loss due to natural disasters. This scheme is completely free and farmers do not have to pay any premium for it. This scheme provides financial assistance to farmers in times of crisis and encourages them to continue farming.

Under this scheme, in case of damage up to 20% in the actual yield as compared to the threshold yield, assistance amount of Rs. 15000/- for a maximum of 02 hectares at the rate of Rs. 7500/- per hectare and Rs. 20000/- for a maximum of 02 hectares at the rate of Rs. 10000/- per hectare in case of damage of more than 20% is paid through DBT in their Aadhar linked bank accounts.

This scheme is being operated entirely from the funds of the state government. Under this scheme, assistance amount of Rs 2030.04 crore has been paid to 3123907 beneficiary farmers till Rabi 2022-23 season.

Under the scheme, paddy and maize crops have been notified as Panchayat level crops and soybean, potato, brinjal, tomato and cabbage crops as district level crops in Kharif 2023 season. On the basis of yield rate, the data of 270365 applicant farmers of 1660 eligible Gram Panchayats of Kharif 2023 season has been verified through the District Level Coordination Committee (DLCC) constituted under the chairmanship of the District Officer. Payment of Rs 32.83 crore is being made on 26.04.2025 to 40778 beneficiary farmers approved and recommended for payment by the DLCC. The verification process of the applied data of the remaining applicant farmers of this season is in the final stage. The remaining beneficiary farmers approved and recommended for payment by DLCC will be paid soon.

On the basis of yield rate data in Rabi 2023-24 season, verification of the applied data of the applicant farmers of eligible Gram Panchayats is also being done by the District Level Coordination Committee (DLCC). After verification by DLCC, the assistance amount will also be paid soon to the applicant farmers approved and recommended for payment. Along with this, the work of regional verification of applicant farmers of eligible Gram Panchayats under Kharif 2024 season is being done by DLCC. After verification by DLCC, the assistance amount is to be paid soon to the applicant farmers approved and recommended for payment.

On this occasion, Secretary of Cooperative Department, Mr. Dharmendra Singh, Mrs. Inayat Khan, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Managing Director, Bihar State Cooperative Bank Ltd., Mr. Kumar Priyaranjan, Director, DNS. Regional Cooperative Management Institute, Shri Lalan Kumar Sharma, Joint Registrar (Marketing), Cooperative Societies and other officials of the Cooperative Department were present.