Guwahati: The Assam government has announced financial assistance for families that lost livestock during the recent floods in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts, providing compensation for cattle, goats, pigs and poultry under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines.
As part of the relief package, eligible households will receive Rs 37,500 for each large milch animal, including cows, subject to a maximum of three animals. Compensation of Rs 4,000 per animal will be provided for the loss of up to 30 small livestock, including goats and pigs, while families will receive Rs 100 per bird for the loss of up to 100 poultry birds.
The livestock compensation is part of the state’s broader rehabilitation package announced to support flood-affected families after widespread damage to homes, farmland, public infrastructure and livelihoods across the four Upper Assam districts.
The assistance is expected to benefit thousands of rural households that depend on dairy farming and livestock rearing as their primary source of income. Many families in the flood-hit areas reportedly lost cattle, goats, pigs and poultry, severely affecting their ability to earn a livelihood.
To safeguard surviving animals, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department will organise veterinary health camps at selected locations in the affected districts. The camps will provide treatment and preventive healthcare to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks among livestock after the floods.
The announcement follows reports of extensive livestock losses across the affected districts. In Sivasagar’s Nepali Khuti area, several families said floodwaters swept away cattle and destroyed dairy-based livelihoods, leaving them struggling to recover from the disaster.
The state government has begun assessing losses and said compensation will be disbursed to eligible beneficiaries in accordance with SDRF norms. Livestock assistance will be provided alongside relief for damaged houses, crop losses, handloom units and other affected assets.
Apart from livestock compensation, the flood relief package includes Rs 15,000 in immediate assistance for nearly 75,000 eligible families, an additional Rs 10,000 for flood-affected households in Sivasagar and Charaideo, house repair assistance of up to Rs 1.20 lakh, and financial support for crop damage and livelihood restoration.
The government said the relief measures are intended to help flood-affected families rebuild their lives and restore livelihoods following one of the state’s most destructive flood spells this year.