Bihar Assembly discusses flood and drought situation

After four consecutive days of disruption of the House on varied issues, Bihar Assembly today discussed flood and drought situation in the state amid walk out by opposition BJP and RJD.
The discussion began on a sour note as mover of the motion RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui reached the House a little late. When Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary said the missed time would be counted in the time alloted to him, he only read his motion and did not give any speech.
Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav demanded the state government declare 24 districts of the state out of a total 38 as drought-affected areas in view of sharp fall in monsoon rain.

As per Met office, as against expected 426 mm rains in June and July, the state received only 330 mm of rainfall, he said.
Yadav sought waiving of cooperative loan of farmers due to drought like situation, free electricity supply and cash subsidy to farmers.
RJD MLA from Kisanganj, Akhtar-ul Imam raised the flood situation in Kisanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar and charged the state government with providing little relief to victims.
Replying to the discussion, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh said the state government had initiated several steps to meet the challenges.
He said the government had provided eight hours of uninterrupted electricity to rural areas, diesel subsidy at the rate of 10 litre for one acre of land and given instruction to immediately change the burnt transformers.