NCP wants to declare Bihar a drought-hit state

The National Congress Party (NCP) today, called for declaring Bihar a drought-hit state as it has received scanty rains this monsoon. "With vast areas of the state remaining parched, it would be better to declare it drought-hit immediately to help reach special benefits to the farmers," NCP general secretary, Tariq Anwar told reporters, after a meeting of the state executive of the party.
     
Anwar, who is an MP, said he would soon meet prime minister Manmohan Singh to press for the demand. "The NCP would launch a state-wide agitation on July 30, 2009 to press for the demands," he said, "Charging the government with being "insensitive" towards the problems faced by the farmers in Bihar because of poor rainfall so far," he added.
      
Stating that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was "least bothered" about the development of the state, Tanwar alleged he was doing "politics" on the issue of special state category status with an eye on the elections to the state assembly towards the end of 2010. "Nitish sat idle on the issue of development of Bihar when the [National Democratic Alliance] NDA led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power at the centre," he said.