Bengal Govt pays ₹351 crore crop insurance to 9 lakh farmers affected by Cyclone Dana

Last year, due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Dana, several districts in the state were devastated by severe floods. As a result, vast areas of agricultural land suffered significant damage. In this situation, millions of farmers faced extreme hardships due to financial losses. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had previously announced that affected farmers would be provided with crop insurance. More than 9 lakh farmers in Bengal affected by natural disasters have been compensated under the Bangla Fasal Bima (BSB) scheme.

According to sources from Nabanna, the state government has disbursed a total of ₹351 crore in compensation to the farmers. This compensation was primarily given to farmers who suffered losses while cultivating rice during the Kharif season. Notably, heavy rainfall and the release of water from DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation) caused severe damage to paddy cultivation in the Hooghly, Howrah, and Bardhaman districts.

It is reported that ISRO satellite images are being used to assess the extent of the damage. This has enabled a faster evaluation of crop losses and expedited compensation distribution to the farmers. Recently, a meeting was held at Nabanna under the leadership of Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, where officials from various departments were present. Discussions were held on several government projects, including the registration of farmers under the Bengal Crop Insurance Scheme for the Rabi and Boro seasons. The progress of this initiative was reviewed in the meeting.

It is noteworthy that 71.98 lakh farmers have registered under this scheme so far, including 12.13 lakh potato farmers. Earlier, farmers had to pay a premium for cultivating potatoes and sugarcane, but for the first time, they are not required to pay this premium. This decision was announced in last year’s budget and has been in effect since the Rabi and Boro seasons. Additionally, sources from Nabanna revealed that since the launch of the BSB scheme, a total of 1.12 crore farmers have received ₹3,562 crore in compensation.