Rehab plan for Aila-hit farmers starts

1 December 2009, 17:00 PM

UNB, Jhalakati

A Tk 18.96 crore rehabilitation programme for cyclone Aila-affected farmers has begun in six districts of Barisal division for cultivating Boro paddy. As part of the programme, Department of Agriculture Extension last week started distributing seeds free of cost among farmers to prepare seedbeds. A total of 1,35,903 farmers will get rehabilitation assistance for cultivating 18,307 hectares of land. Each farmer will get necessary fertiliser and seeds free of cost for cultivating each bigha of land under the programme. The programme was inaugurated in Jhalakati Sadar uapzila on Wednesday last by distributing seeds. DAE additional director Md Aftabuddin inaugurated the seed distribution programme. The farmers will get MOP, TSP and urea fertiliser free of cost soon. In Jhalakati, at least 18,698 farmers will receive the assistance for cultivating 6,233 acres of land, official sources said.