Tk 789.75m for Sylhet flood-hit cultivators to recoup losses
Our Correspondent | Monday, 1 January 2018
SYLHET, Dec 31: With a target to recouping the crop loss of last year's Boro season, an amount of Tk 789.75 million was distributed for providing assistance among the flood-affected farmers in the Sylhet division. Boro is considered the major crop of the region, especially on the vast haor region (low-lying areas).
Of the total, Tk 103.275 million was spent for procuring high yielding varieties of Boro seeds, Tk 186.3 million for procuring Di Ammonia Phosphate (DAP) and Tk 52.650 million for Murate of Potash (MOP). Besides, Tk 405 million was distributed in cash among the farmers under the special incentive programme.
A farmer got 20 kgs of DAP and 10 kgs of MOP fertilisers in addition to 5.0 kgs of seeds as well as Tk 1,000 in cash. Things were done through the upazila level Agriculture rehabilitation committees, headed by UNO and officials from departments including the agriculture department.
Additional Director at the Sylhet Divisional office of the DAE Md. Altabur Rahman said a total of listed 405,000 poor and marginal farmers of 4 districts would be covered under the programme. Each of the farmers would get the benefits for cultivating one bigha land for Boro paddy, he added. The inputs distribution was completed recently.
Of the total, 40,000 farmers each in Sylhet and Habiganj districts would be benefited Tk 78 million was spent while Tk 48.75 million was spent for 25,000 farmers of Moulvibazar and highest Tk 585 million was spent for the 300,000 listed farmers in Sunamganj district. Each of the farmers was given Tk 1,000 through their bank account in assistance for other expenses.
It may be stated here repeated floods caused by the excessive and early rains coupled with rolling of waters from the Meghalaya and Assam had damaged the Boro paddy in the region last year. The situation went aggravated due to the errant crop protection embankments of the WDB. Sunamganj district lost almost the total crop that season.
Several ministers, as well as the prime minister and the president had visited the region to see the situation and announced special food and farming assistance for the affected poor till the next year's Boro season.
Meanwhile, farmers in different areas have demanded ensuring fair distribution of the inputs, so that the real affected farmers could be benefited.