Patna: Farmers suffering crop losses during this Kharif season will receive financial assistance of up to Rs10,000 per hectare under the Bihar State Crop Assistance Scheme, state cooperation minister Ram Kripal Yadav said here on Tuesday. He urged eligible farmers to submit their applications online by Oct 31.He said the govt has made farmers’ financial security a priority and assured that assistance would be provided in a simple, transparent and time-bound manner. Around 73,000 farmers have already applied under the scheme.The agriculture department has also invited online applications under the sub-mission on agricultural mechanization (2025-26) for setting up custom hiring centres (CHCs), farm machinery banks and special custom hiring centres, agriculture minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said.He said 267 CHCs, 38 agricultural machinery banks, 200 special CHCs and 480 kisan drone centres would be established in the state. Subsidies ranging from 40 to 80 per cent would be provided to eligible beneficiaries to promote mechanisation, reduce farming costs and improve productivity, he added.Minister Yadav said farmers will receive Rs7,500 per hectare for crop damage of up to 20% and Rs10,000 per hectare where the loss exceeds 20%. Assistance will be limited to a maximum of two hectares. Both raiyat and non-raiyat farmers, as well as those cultivating land under both categories, are eligible, he added.Farmers registered on the agriculture department’s DBT portal can apply through esahkari.bihar.gov.in. The application process is completely free of cost. Raiyat farmers are required to submit the prescribed declaration along with an updated land ownership certificate issued after March 31, 2025, or a revenue receipt issued after March 31, 2026. Farmers can also contact the Sugam Call Centre at 1800 3454 110 for assistance.
