With deficient rains this season,the state government has rung the alarm bells to tackle the situation. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar requesting him to release 1296 kilolitres of high-speed diesel and 52 kilolitres of mobil oil for the months of August,September and October to run more pump sets and bring more areas under the irrigation cover. The Centre is increasing the allocation of diesel to states to ensure that diesel-based irrigation schemes and tube-wells are optimally utilised, Bhattacharjee wrote. The chief minister already had a meeting with senior ministers and officials to chalk out a strategy to combat the situation. The measures included augmenting the irrigation,making provisions for supply of pulses,oil seeds and distribution of fertilisers. He has also released Rs 75 crore for providing subsidy. The figures from the agricultural department,meanwhile,depict a grim picture in the farm sector due to scanty rainfall. While Kharif aman paddy has been transplanted only on 12.62 lakh hectares so far,by this time last year it was sown on 28 lakh hectares. If we do not have adequate rainfall by August 15,we will be in for a crisis, said state Agriculture Minister Naren Dey.
