RAJSHAHI, Sept 26, 2020 (BSS)- More than 2.19 lakh families consisting of
around 9.86 lakh people in different districts of the division affected badly
by the flood have, so far, been got relief materials to overcome their
livelihood related hardships.
As part of its instant humanitarian assistance to cope with the
catastrophic situation, the government has, so far, allocated 1,679.1 tonnes
of rice, Taka 43.55 lakh in cash, 20,380 packets of dry-food, Taka 23 lakh
for baby food and Taka 40 lakh for animal feed.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said
distribution of the allocated relief materials among the affected families in
the division is in final stage.
Apart from this, 2,260.9 tonnes of rice, Taka 31.10 lakh, 2,220 packets of
dry food, Taka three lakh for baby food and Taka five lakh for animal feed
remain in stock for distribution.
Islam said 64 unions in Sirajganj, 24 in Bogura and 19 each in Pabna,
Naogaon and Natore districts are the worst affected ones.
Besides, standing crops on around 52,983 hectares of croplands worth
around Taka 477.29 crore have been damaged by the floodwaters affecting over
3.75 lakh farming families in the division.
Various standing crops like newly transplanted Aush and Aman paddy, Aman
seedbeds and direct seeded Aman, vegetables, maize and green chili were
affected by the floodwater.
Particularly, the deluge has affected Aush paddy on 11,433 hectares of
land, Aman seedbeds on 1,068 hectares, transplanted Aman on 1,007 hectares
and vegetables on 3,638 hectares of land.
In Sirajganj district, crops on 23,365 hectares of land were affected
followed by 7,555 hectares in Bogura, 3,958 hectares in Pabna, 2,718 hectares
in Naogaon, 2,000 hectares in Rajshahi, 1,480 hectares in Chapainawabganj and
1,406 hectares in Natore districts.
Meanwhile, around 1.18 lakh small and marginal farmers have been selected
for providing agriculture incentives worth more than Taka 12.21 crore to
recoup their losses caused by the recent flood in all eight districts of the
division.
Respective offices of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) have
already started implementing the scheduled incentive works with close
monitoring and surveillance so that the targeted farmers can recoup their
losses after the best uses of the incentives.
DAE Additional Director Sudhendra Nath Roy said a target has been set to
establish around 18,000 vegetable nutrition gardens under the family
agriculture programme during the current Kharif-1 season.
Around Taka 4.73 crore has been allocated for boosting the nutritive
vegetables. Each of 17,984 farmers will get Taka 2,673 as incentives for
seed, organic fertilizer, fencing, nursing and signboard for cultivating
vegetables on one bigha of land.
Around Taka 1.66 crore has been earmarked for cultivating black gram on
11,200 bigha of land to recoup the flood losses.
More than 34,700 farmers will get seeds of various vegetables free of cost
under the government’s short and long term agriculture incentive programme
for the small and marginal farmers to recoup their flood losses.
Around Taka 2.41 crore were allocated for the purposes. “Besides, we have
already distributed vegetable seedlings among 16,190 farmers in Rajshahi,
Naogaon, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts through motivation,” Sudhen Roy
added.
Seedbeds on more than 2,904 hectares of lands were set up compared to the
target for vegetable farming.
Seedlings of transplanted Aman paddy were distributed among around 6,000
farmers free of cost for making the farming easy. For the purpose, community
seedbeds on 85 acres of land and 400 floating seedbeds were developed besides
growing seedlings on 6, 204 trays in the flood affected areas.
Besides, the government has given Taka 319 crore to Rajshahi Krishi
Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) from the Prime Minister’s stimulus package fund for the
agricultural development in this region. Deputy Managing Director Muhammad
Idrish said distribution of the fund is progressing everywhere in the
country’s northwest region successfully.