Agriculture Minister asks Bihar govt to help farmers

NEW DELHI: Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has urged the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to help farmers, who have been affected by unseasonal rain and hailstorms during the month of February and March of this year, by utilising State Disaster Response Fund.

Ministry of Agriculture has already requested all State Governments, vide, letter number 38-8/2015-DM, dated 19th March 2015, that if additional assistance over and above the State Disaster Response Fund is required, Memorandum may be submitted for consideration as per procedure for assistance from National Disaster Response Fund.

Radha Mohan Singh mentioned that vide letter number 33-4/2015-NDM-I dated 20^th March 2015, State Governments have been authorised to notify disaster in local context and expenditure for relief can be met from State Disaster Response Fund within the limit of 10 percent of the fund available under the State Disaster Response Fund.