Bihar CM asks PM's aid to deal with drought

News Delhi, Aug 7: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked the Central Government for financial aid to tackle with the state's drought condition.

Nitish visited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Saturday, Aug 7 and sought over Rs 5000 crores to deal with worse condition of Bihar due to drought.

He informed that PM had assured him that a Central Team would visit Bihar soon to assess the situation.

"Bihar is facing severe drought-like situation and due to scanty rain we had to declare 28 out of 38 districts as drought affected. Remaining 10 districts have also been kept under watch," said Bihar CM.

He also added, "if there is no rain during Aug 2010, we will have to declare these districts also as drought affected."

"We have negative balance in State calamity relief fund. Bihar Government will need more funds to tackle the situation," Kumar added.

Kumar further said that though Bihar is handling the drought situation with the resources they had but the center also should accomplish its responsibility towards the state.

ANI