Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday directed the officials to make a plan to provide all possible help to the farmers in the event of a possible drought. Under the alternate crop scheme, provide seeds to the interested farmers as soon as possible, so that the farmers can get relief in agricultural work. Provide uninterrupted power supply to farmers for 16 hours. This will facilitate irrigation for the farmers. Also, all the areas where paddy has been planted will be saved.

The Chief Minister also directed the officers to get the benefits of Diesel Grant Scheme to the farmers at the earliest. He asked the officials to keep a close watch on the situation arising out of deficient rains and make full preparations to provide assistance to the farmers. The Chief Minister told these things to the officials at Gaya Airport after conducting an aerial survey of the situation arising out of low rainfall in Jehanabad, Gaya and Aurangabad districts.

CM Nitish Kumar took the latest information from the District Magistrate about the status of paddy transplantation due to less rain and gave necessary instructions. Earlier, during the aerial survey, the Chief Minister visited Modanganj, Ghosi, Makhdumpur block of Jehanabad district, Atri, Wazirganj, Tankuppa, Mohanpur, Barachatti, Dobhi, Amas, Gurua and Guraru blocks of Gaya district and Madanpur, Dev Kutumba, Naviganj, Aurangabad district. Took stock of paddy planting in Aurangabad, Rafiganj and Goh blocks. Due to less rainfall, the planting of paddy has reduced significantly in these districts. During the aerial survey of the Chief Minister on Friday, these districts received good rain today.

During the aerial survey, Deepak Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, N Sarwan Kumar, Secretary, Agriculture Department, Sanjay Kumar Agrawal, Secretary, Disaster cum Water Resources Department, and Gopal Singh, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister were present.

The Chief Minister returned from Gaya to Patna by road after conducting an aerial survey of three districts. On his return to Patna, he also observed the status of paddy transplantation in the areas of Manpur, Khijrasarai, Islampur, Ekangarsarai, Hilsa, Daniyawan and Fatuha blocks.

In order to reach Gaya in the course of aerial survey, due to sudden bad weather, an emergency landing of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's helicopter had to be made at Gaya airport at around 1 pm. He was accompanied by Agriculture Department Secretary N Sarwan Kumar and Water Resources Department Secretary Sanjay Agarwal. The information about the emergency landing was immediately given to the district administration and airport authority. District Magistrate Dr. Thiagarajan MS and other officials reached there. The CM stayed at the airport for 15 minutes due to rain.