Date:07/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/07/stories/2006080700570900.htm

National

Drought-like situation in Assam

Sushanta Talukdar

Agriculture Department has estimated the assistance required at Rs. 92 crore

Guwahati: A severe drought-like situation has affected 14 districts of Assam with the rain-fed paddy fields going dry due to deficit in monsoon rains and most of the irrigation systems lying defunct in the affected districts.

Though the Agriculture Department has estimated the assistance required for the affected farmers at Rs. 92 crore, the Revenue Department has so far released only Rs. 70 lakh. Agriculture Minister Pramila Rani Brahma told The Hindu that the department has released Rs. 5 lakh to each of the affected districts.

As an immediate measure each affected farmer would be distributed 10 litres of diesel for using shallow tube wells and lift irrigation pumps to irrigate their dry paddy fields.

The Minister appealed to all the 126 legislators and the MPs from the State to provide financial assistance to the affected farmers from their Local Area Development Fund.

He visited Nalgaon district on Saturday and Nalbari district on Sunday to take stock of the situation and gear up the field machinery in the affected districts. Agriculture Production Commissioner Bhaskar Mushahary also visited the worst-affected Sonitpur district and held an emergency meeting with the district administration to deal with the situation.

Ms. Brahma, however, said that since the weather scientists have described it as a drought-like situation and not drought, the State Government has not been able to move the Centre to provide relief to the affected farmers.