Overview

• Five western Assam districts including Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Dhubri, Baksa and Bongaigaon have received 40% less rainfall and will be formally notified as drought-hit by the revenue department.
• The state plans to irrigate 17 lakh hectares under minor schemes and 10 lakh hectares under major and medium schemes and to install shallow tube wells to bolster water supply.
• Farmers insured under the Fasal Bima Yojana will receive compensation now that drought-like conditions have been officially confirmed.
• The cabinet approved a Rs 342 crore one-time disbursement of Rs 5,000 per worker to about seven lakh tea garden labourers under the Mukhya Mantri Eti Koli Duti Paat scheme.
• Only 27.56 lakh hectares of Assam’s 52.75 lakh hectare crop area have been sown this season due to erratic rainfall and limited irrigation infrastructure.