Alarmed over scanty rain and a fear of drought in Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday put on alert all the government departments associated with the situation, asking them to be prepared to deal with the exigencies, and monitor drinking water availability.

Chairing a review meeting at his 1, Aney Marg official residence, Nitish directed the senior officials present at it to provide all help to farmers to tide over the situation, including electricity, diesel subsidy, and irrigation facilities for paddy transplantation.

While abnormally and continuously high temperatures have already singed the state in the Gangetic plains, a 41 per cent deficient rainfall this monsoon has made the situation worse.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bihar has received just 238mm of rain till July 21 though it should have been around 406mm of rain. Only four out of the total 38 districts have received normal rains.

State agriculture department estimates suggest that only 43 per cent of paddy transplantation has been done so far of around 35 lakh hectares of the targeted area on which it has to be done. The total net sown area in Bihar under various crops was 50.50 lakh hectares.