Centre to extend all possible help to drought-hit Bihar: Sharad Pawar

With 28 of the 38 districts in Bihar declared drought-hit by state government, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today assured the Centre's assistance in all possible ways to deal the "serious" situation.

"We will be extending all-possible help to the state of Bihar... the situation is quite serious here," Pawar told reporters at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna on arrival from New Delhi.

The Bihar government has decided to seek a special financial package of Rs15,000 crore from the Centre to tackle the drought.

Sources in the state's disaster management department said a report, which was being given final touches, seeking the assistance would be placed before the Centre.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar is expected to be in New Delhi tomorrow to press for the package under provisions of the National Calamity Contingency Fund, they said.

On reports of foodgrains rotting in FCI godowns in Bihar, Pawar said there was no confirmation of these reports.

"Of course, there are reports about foodgrains rotting at some places because of the rainy season. We are looking into it," he said.

Storage fell short of the requirements because of high production of foodgrains in some areas, the minister claimed.