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05/08/2010
Bihar seeks Rs 15,000 crore as drought relief from Centre Patna,(BiharTimes): First two years of flood, then two consecutive years of drought forced the Bihar government to once again seek a special financial package from the Centre. This time the Nitish Kumar government has sought Rs 15,000 crore from the Centre to tackle drought in 28 of the state’s 38 districts. The state government has prepared a report on drought after it was sought by the Centre. An assistance of Rs 15,000 crore would be placed before the Centre. According to sources Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to be in New Delhi on August 7 to press for the package under the provisions of the National Calamity Contingency Fund. The government had on Tuesday declared 28 districts as drought-hit following deficient rainfall. As nature has been playing cruel joke with Bihar for the four consecutive years the agriculture sector has once again been badly hit. Farmers at many places are once again opting for maize in this kharif season as the rainfall was too scanty for paddy. The drought-hit districts are Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Arwal, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna, Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Munger, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Banka, Siwan, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Vaishali, East Champran, Madhubani, Samastipur and Darbhanga. Unlike last year, when drought hit a large part of the country, this year, till now, Bihar alone is suffering on this count. In fact the north-western states and Delhi, which normally witness half annual rain-fall in comparison to Bihar, were ravaged by flood.
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