(a) whether standing crops in large parts of the Brahmaputra Valley has been damaged by a
series of floods during the current fiscal year;
(b) if so, whether the Government proposes to provide financial assistance to the farmers of
the area for the ensuing rabi season;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to supply quality seeds to the farmers of Assam?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF
STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC
DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. State has availability of funds in the State Disaster Response Fund
(SDRF) for emergency mitigation of disaster including floods. Additional assistance is also
considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe
nature. State Department of Agriculture Government of Assam has submitted a proposal for
Rs.44.91 crores to Government of Assam for onward submission to Ministry of Home Affairs for
providing assistance to the flood affected farmers of the state. Department of Agriculture
Government of Assam has distributed 2719.94 qtls. of mustard seed, 2574.26 qtls. of pea seeds,
7898.83 qtls of potato tubers and 11205.00 qtls. of summer paddy seed among the affected
farmers of the state.
(c) & (d): State Seed Certification Agency, Assam Seeds Corporation have been
strengthened to enhance their purchasing capacity so that more seed can be purchased from the
cultivators. Assam Agricultural Univerisity has taken massive programme for production of
certified seeds for increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR). The State Seed Farms have been
strengthened through RKVY Seed village & State plan schemes with a view to produce more
quality seeds. In addition, production and distribution of quality seeds is an integral part of
already existing centrally sponsored schemes of National Food Security Mission (NFSM),
Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), and Micro Management Scheme of Agriculture
(MMA), Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oilpalm and Maize (ISOPOM) that are being
implemented in the state.