Assam Congress leader appeals to Governor for declaration of drought in multiple districts

Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has written to the Governor of Assam, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, urging the immediate declaration of drought-like conditions across multiple districts in the state and the implementation of urgent relief measures to support distressed farmers.

In his letter dated July 19, Saikia expressed grave concern over the prevailing agrarian crisis triggered by a severe rainfall deficit and a failure of irrigation systems during the ongoing Kharif season. Citing data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), he pointed out that Assam has recorded a 42% rainfall deficit between June 1 and July 16, 2025. 

The letter highlights that districts such as Barpeta, Bajali, Baksa, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Kamrup (M), Kamrup (R), Nalbari, Tamulpur, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur are already witnessing acute drought-like conditions.

Saikia also referred to a Department of Science and Technology report identifying 65 districts across India as having a “very high drought hazard,” including several in Assam. Alarmingly, five districts—Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, South Salmara-Mankachar, and Golaghat—are marked as extremely vulnerable to both droughts and floods.

The opposition leader drew attention to the vulnerability of the state, as revealed in a 2022 Assembly statement by Health and Science & Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta, which noted that 15 of India’s 25 most climate-vulnerable districts lie in Assam. He further highlighted that only 24.28% of Assam’s cultivable land is covered under irrigation, according to a March 2025 statement by Irrigation Minister Ashok Singhal, with several sanctioned schemes under the department remaining non-functional.

Expressing concern for lakhs of farmers, including sharecroppers, who depend on rice cultivation, Saikia also warned of the indirect impact on Assam’s renowned tea industry due to erratic rainfall and temperature fluctuations.

In his memorandum to the Governor, Saikia proposed the following urgent measures:

Declaration of drought-like conditions in affected districts under NDMA/State Relief guidelines.

Compensation of ₹50,000 to each affected farmer, including sharecroppers.

Emergency irrigation support using pump sets and tankers.

Distribution of drought-resilient seeds, fertilizers, and alternative inputs.

Supply of paddy seedlings.

Release of pending MGNREGA wages and expansion of rural workdays.

A district-wise audit and revival of defunct irrigation infrastructure such as Shallow Tube Wells and canals.

Saikia concluded by urging the Governor to use his constitutional authority to intervene decisively, stating that “expeditious governmental intervention and aid are not merely necessary, but represent a moral and constitutional imperative.”