Provide financial assistance to drought-hit farmers: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

PATNA: With many districts in Bihar facing a drought-like situation due to scanty rainfall, CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday undertook an aerial survey of nine districts - Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Munger, Banka, Bhagalpur, Khagaria and Samastipur - to assess the situation.
Accompanied by four senior officials, including both principal secretaries to the CM Deepak Kumar and Dr S Sidhharth, Nitish took stock of the drought-like situation by hovering over different villages in Bind and Sarmera blocks of Nalanda district; Barbigha, Sheikhpura and Chewara blocks in Sheikhpura district; Ramgarh and Halsi block of Lakhisarai district; Sikandara, Khaira, Gidaur and Laxmipur in Jamui district; Kharagpur, Dharhara, Jamalpur and Munger blocks in Munger district; Shambhuganj, Phulidumar and Amarpur blocks in Banka district; Jagdishpur, Shahpur and Sultanganj blocks in Bhagalpur district; Parbatta, Gogari, Khagaria, Alouli in Khagaria district and Hasanpur, Rosera, Bibhutipur and Dalsinghsarai blocks in Samastipur district.
The CM also took stock of the transplantation of paddy seedlings in the above areas. He made an assessment of the water level in Kosi and Ganga rivers as well.
During the survey, Nitish asked the officials accompanying him to conduct assessment of the drought-like situation at block, panchayat and village level.
The CM asked the officials to make all necessary preparations to provide all-possible financial assistance to affected farmers.
In the middle of aerial survey, Nitish landed at Munger airport and from there, he went to make an on-the-spot inspection of Dakra Nala Pump Canal scheme. The Dakra Nala is a lift irrigation project which is lying incomplete for the last four decades.
Under the scheme, waters from the Ganga are lifted through a pump fitted on a floating barrage and waters are sent in Dakra Nala. The scheme's first phase was approved by the state government way back in 1976-77.
After the inspection, the CM ordered complete revival of the scheme.
"Once completed, the Dakra Nala scheme would provide irrigation facilities in total area of 15,222 hectares spread in Suryagarha block of Lakhisarai district and Munger Sadar, Jamalpur and Dharhara blocks of Munger district," a communique issued from the CM's office said.