Patna: More than Rs 100 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of farmers in Bihar, as the state government steps up efforts to compensate those affected by last year’s floods.
The chief minister, Nitish Kumar, on Saturday oversaw the direct transfer of Rs 113.16 crore to more than 220,000 farmers under the Agricultural Input Subsidy Scheme. The payments were made through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system to support cultivators whose crops were damaged by heavy rainfall, flooding and Cyclone Motha in 2025.
Addressing a programme marking the disbursal, Kumar said the funds would help farmers prepare for upcoming sowing seasons. He said the state government was committed to assisting all those affected by floods, adding that “flood victims have the first right on the state treasury”.
According to officials, widespread crop losses were reported across 13 districts – Begusarai, Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Kaimur, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Supaul – after torrential rain and Cyclone Motha inundated large swathes of farmland.
In total, farmers in 53 blocks and 493 panchayats were affected. The state’s agriculture department invited online applications for compensation from eligible farmers in the impacted areas. Applications were verified at the district level before the payments were processed.
Officials said the latest transfer brings relief to more than 2.2 lakh farmers. The government has also been creating digital identification records for farmers to streamline access to welfare schemes and ensure that benefits reach recipients directly.
The subsidy scheme forms part of a broader set of measures aimed at supporting Bihar’s agricultural sector, which remains vulnerable to recurring floods during the monsoon season.
