Asom recounts affect of drought situation

Guwahati, Dec 13: As many as 13,88,920 families and 995179 hectares of land were hit hard by the drought-like situation in 26 districts of Asom earlier this year.

State Agriculture Minister Promila Rani Brahma today informed the legislative Assembly about various steps taken by the government to provide relief to drought-hit farmers.

In reply to a written question of AGP-P legislator Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the minister informed that free distribution of paddy seeds for drought-affected farmers was continuing and the government planned to distribute total 48,575,00 quintals of paddy seeds to affected farmers by the end of this year.

The drought-relief measures undertaken by the government include distribution of fuel worth Rs 1.91 crore to affected farmers having shallow tube wells to help them irrigate the land. Besides free summer paddy seeds, the government has distributed black gram seed and vegetable seeds, wheat, lentil, pea and mustard seeds to affected farmers. The government also facilitated tilling of agriculture land to affected farmers using tractors.

The minister informed that Central government did not provide any drought relief to the state though 26 districts had been declared under drought-like situation by the state government. She informed the House that the Union government did not give any reason for not providing drought relief to the state.

UNI