CM directs officials to assess drought-like situation in various Bihar districts

An official release said the chief minister asked officials to make an assessment of the drought-like situation in affected districts from the block, panchayat to village level so that a comprehensive plan for providing relief to farmers could be made.

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday took stock of the drought-like situation in various parts of Bihar, especially the districts in southern parts and Kosi area due to deficient rains, by conducting an aerial survey and directed officials to prepare a plan to provide relief to the affected farmers.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar conducts an aerial survey in districts affected by scanty rain on Sunday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

During the trip, Kumar enquired about the paddy coverage in districts, namely, Munger, Sheikhpura, Nawada, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Banka, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, and Samastipur where a drought-like situation had arisen due to scanty rainfall in the last two months.

An official release said the chief minister asked officials to make an assessment of the drought-like situation in affected districts from the block, panchayat to village level so that a comprehensive plan for providing relief to farmers could be made.

On Saturday, he had issued a slew of instructions to the agriculture and disaster management department during a review meeting held to assess the situation in various districts and had stressed that seed distribution to farmers under a contingency crop plan should be fast-tracked.

Bihar’s paddy coverage in the Kharif season stands at 87% against the target of 35 lakh, according to officials of the agriculture department and the state has experienced 35% deficient rains from June 1st to September 7, as per data from the agriculture department. In 2021, the paddy coverage was 98% of the targeted 33 lakh hectares, data said.

The shortfall in paddy coverage this Kharif season has raised apprehensions of the state achieving low rice production ranging from 60-65 lakh metric tonnes, though a final assessment is expected to be made in the next few weeks. Experts feel that low rice production could impact overall food production this year. “We have not assessed how much would be the rice production. But it will not as high as last few years when the paddy coverage was high,” said an agriculture officer.

In terms of paddy coverage, districts like Nawada, Munger, Sheikhpura, and Lakhisarai have achieved coverage ranging from 50-65% as against the target of paddy whereas in the north and west Bihar districts, the coverage has been fairly better.

The reason for the shortfall in the paddy coverage is attributed to long dry spells and deficient rains in the state in the monsoon season. “The state has experienced rain deficiency up to 35% as against normal rains from June 1st to September 7. In July, the rain deficiency was 60%, which is the prime period for paddy transplantation. This is a factor for paddy coverage not going as per target,” said another agriculture officer.

Sources said the agriculture department has started encouraging farmers to produce short-duration crops and has already given seeds for various crops like oilseeds, arhar, and other pulses. Farmers are being encouraged to grow maize and in some districts, the coverage of maize cultivation has increased in the last few weeks, officials said, adding that around 60,000 farmers have been given assistance for short-duration crops.