Kokrajhar: The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has launched a comprehensive relief programme to tackle acute drought-like conditions plaguing the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The initiative, named “Vibrant BTR, Vibrant Agriculture – From Mission to Action,” aims to provide immediate aid to farmers while building long-term resilience against recurring climate challenges. The move comes as districts across the region grapple with a significant rainfall deficit, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of agricultural households.
BTC Chief Pramod Boro announced that a dedicated 5% of the annual Agriculture Budget would be allocated to disaster preparedness and response, a first-of-its-kind measure in the region. This strategic decision is part of a wider effort to combat agricultural distress caused by severe dry spells. Districts like Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Tamulpur are reportedly experiencing severe drought conditions, while Udalguri is categorised as moderately affected. This dry spell has already taken a toll on vast tracts of farmland, posing a significant risk to the critical Kharif crop yields.
The situation mirrors the plight of farmers in other parts of Assam. In Sivasagar district’s Demow area, for instance, the local agriculture office has reported that 260 hectares of land have been impacted, with only a fraction deemed suitable for paddy transplantation due to insufficient soil moisture. This growing crisis has prompted the Assam government to declare the situation a state-specific disaster, with compensation being disbursed under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that a final decision on an official drought declaration in parts of the state will be made after August 15, pending reports from the India Meteorological Department and on-ground assessments.
In parallel efforts, authorities are also preparing contingency plans, including crop insurance assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), to offer a safety net to the affected farming communities. The BTR’s proactive programme is a clear signal of the urgent need for localised, region-specific strategies to adapt to and mitigate the impact of unpredictable weather patterns that are now becoming an annual reality for farmers.
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