Question : Effect COVID-19 and Cyclone on Farmers in Bihar

(a) whether the Government is aware that COVID-19 Lockdown and Yaas Cyclone have affected the Litchi and Magahi paan farmers heavily this year as well;
(b) whether the farmers in Nalanda were unable to send their paan to the markets due to the COVID-19 lockdown, while litchi farmers of Muzaffarpur faced an identical situation resulting in severe financial losses;
(c) if so, whether the Government has any plan to set up a task force to study the losses suffered by the paan, litchi and mango farmers in Bihar and provide them financial assistance, and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a): There is no report from State of COVID-19 Lockdown affecting the Litchi and Magahi paan farmers of Bihar. However, it has been reported by Department of Horticulture, Bihar that Yass cyclone has affected 5877.25 acres of area under Litchi and 94.45 acres of area under Magahi Paan.

(b): There were no restrictions for transportation of the horticultural produce including paan and litchi during the COVID-19 lockdown.

(c) & (d): Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar has undertaken the assessment of damages caused to the produce of paan, litchi and mango in the affected districts through District and Block level officers. There is a provision for providing compensation in the Department of Disaster Management, Govt. of Bihar as per SDRF norms.

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