Farmers in West Champaran are set to receive relief following the devastation caused by the Gandak river floods. The Bihar government is preparing to provide grants to farmers for removing sand and silt from their flood-affected fields. Last month, floods in the Gandak and other rivers deposited large quantities of sand and silt on agricultural land in several areas, including the Valmikinagar assembly constituency, making cultivation extremely difficult for farmers.

Valmikinagar MLA Surendra Prasad Kushwaha met Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary to highlight the farmers' plight. He urged the Chief Minister to provide grants for removing sand and silt from the affected fields. Following his request, the Bihar State Disaster Management Department, in the last week of October, sought details of agricultural land affected by silt deposition from all district magistrates.

Consequently, the District Agriculture Officer of West Champaran has instructed all Block Agriculture Officers to inspect the affected fields and submit reports. According to MLA Surendra Prasad Kushwaha, the disaster department's order specifies a grant of Rs 18,000 per hectare for fields with heavy silt deposition and Rs 2,200 per hectare for those with less silt.

The primary objective of this grant is to provide financial assistance to affected farmers, enabling them to clear their fields and resume cultivation. Currently, the agriculture department is gathering details of the affected land. Further procedures will be completed based on the inspection reports. This initiative is expected to bring significant relief to thousands of flood-affected farmers in the district.