West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, 5 November 2026, announced a tiered flood compensation package for farmers in the state whose homes were damaged during this year's monsoon. The announcement was made at the inauguration of the Chief Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme at Pursura in Hooghly district, and covers an estimated 46 lakh flood-affected farmers across West Bengal.

Compensation Breakdown

The compensation is structured in three tiers based on the extent of damage. Farmers whose houses suffered heavy damage will receive ₹1.80 lakh; those with partially damaged homes will get ₹90,000; and households with minor damage are entitled to ₹40,000. Chief Minister Adhikari confirmed that many eligible farmers have already received the first instalment under the PM Kisan Yojana.

In addition, seeds are being distributed to 10,750 farmers in the flood-hit Bhutni Char area of Malda district. The state had also extended a ₹2 per unit electricity subsidy to 4 lakh farmers.

New Measures for Potato Farmers

Adhikari used the occasion to roll out a separate relief framework for potato farmers, a politically sensitive constituency in West Bengal. The state government has announced a ₹50 per quintal subsidy for exporting potatoes to other states by road or rail — a practice that was reportedly restricted under the previous administration.

The government has also committed to bringing potatoes under the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme, with the state absorbing the farmer's premium share entirely. Additionally, the administration confirmed it has already purchased 4.75 lakh quintals of potatoes at ₹950 per quintal, stored across 567 cold storage facilities. Should market prices fall below the free bond price of ₹1,120 per quintal, the state government has pledged to make up the difference through a direct subsidy.

Political Context: Attack on Previous Government

Chief Minister Adhikari launched a pointed attack on the preceding Trinamool Congress (TMC) government led by Mamata Banerjee, accusing it of causing significant financial losses to potato farmers by banning inter-state exports. 'During the previous Trinamool Congress government, potato farmers were not allowed to export their products to other states. This resulted in heavy financial losses for them,' Adhikari said. His remarks signal a deliberate effort to draw a policy contrast with the TMC era and consolidate support among the farming community ahead of future electoral cycles.

What Comes Next

The scale of outreach — 46 lakh farmers, a multi-tier compensation grid, insurance premium waivers, and a price support mechanism — signals a broad agricultural push by the Adhikari administration. The success of the initiative will hinge on timely disbursal and verification of damage claims, areas where state machinery has historically faced challenges. All eyes will be on whether the second instalment of compensation reaches farmers before the next cropping season.