Bihar faces drought-like situation again, farmers prepare to migrate for work

The spectre of a drought-like situation again hangs over Bihar, with farmers considering migrating to other areas for work. Paddy agriculture for the Kharif season has taken a huge hit as the state received around half the normal amount of rainfall for monsoon 2023.

So far, only 30-40 per cent paddy has been sown in Kamrauli village of Pipradhi block in Sheohar district, said farmers. The groundwater levels have dipped in several parts of the state and the state government has prohibited the use of pump sets to bore and draw water. 

Most farmers now have no other option but to wait for the rain to transplant rice seedlings, which require standing water in the fields. Those who can afford it are renting private pump sets illegally, said Sanjay Mandal (50) of Kamrauli, who owns two bighas of land. 

“Pumpset owners are charging Rs. 250-300 per hour, so it would cost Rs 6,000 for two bighas. Our family earns only through agriculture, my son is a labourer in Delhi and sends home a little he can spare. If the situation doesn’t improve, I'll have to take up daily wage jobs too at my age,” Mandal said.

Read more: The heat is on: Reservoir, groundwater levels dip in Bihar amid high temperatures, poor pre-monsoon

Hundreds of thousands of farmers are in the same position. There are 10.43 million farmers with agricultural land in the state and over 80 per cent of them — 8.44 million — are marginal farmers, meaning those who cultivate on land less than four bigha. A bigha equals 20 kattha land. 

Surendra Mandal of Veena Panchayat in Supaul district owns about one and a half bighas of land for agriculture and has taken two bighas on rent. 

“Almost half the farms have electricity connections but only those of means could afford to get borewells dug. Barely 50 out of 5,000 farmers in our village have 3-4 bighas land,” Surendra said. Borewell owners charge Rs 70-75 per hour and the private pumpset owners charge Rs 150 per hour for irrigation, he added. 

The first week of July brought rains and farmers were able to sow paddy, but the crop is drying up. The situation was similar last year in the state. Crops had failed and 11 south Bihar districts were declared drought-hit by the state and Rs 3,500 compensation was announced for each family. 

“Our household runs on government rations and agriculture. If this situation continues, we will have to find some other form of employment,” said Surendra. 

In the two months of the current monsoon season, Bihar has recorded a nearly 48 per cent rainfall deficit, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). From June 1 to July 31, 2023, the state received 263.2 millimetres of rainfall, whereas normally it receives 503.8 mm of rainfall. 

The worst-hit is Sitamarhi district, which has received 82 per cent less rainfall than normal. Sehore saw a deficit of 74 per cent, 62 per cent in Saran, 70 per cent in Purba Champaran, 68 per cent in Saharsa and 62 per cent in Begursarai. 

Just 50 per cent has been planted in Bihar, according to the state’s Agriculture Minister  Kumar Sarvjeet. 

Read more: How climate vulnerability in South Bihar takes a toll on its groundwater

Drinking water crisis

The handpumps in Mahuawa village of Pipradi block are running dry, said ward number three resident Chhotu Kumar. “People are extracting water from an old borewell. The crops in the fields are drying up,” he said. 

Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts saw the least amount of rainfall — a deficit of 83 and 75 per cent, respectively. “Many areas in these districts have a severe water crisis,” said Kumar. 

Small rivers like Jhim, Lakhandei, Banke, Singiyahi and Marha have dried up, said a member of  Sheohar Kisan Morcha,  Basant Singh. “At the same time, the state government’s water resources department is making plans for bringing canal waters to fields. We are not allowed to use borewells for water either,” he pointed out. 

Small and marginal farmers also struggle trying to avail diesel subsidies from government offices, he added. “If there is no rain, there will be no paddy in most of the areas of Bihar. But like last year, the administration will declare only some areas were drought struck and get away with giving a pittance as compensation,” Singh said. 

Status of government compensation

In 2022, 7,841 revenue villages in 937 panchayats of 96 blocks were declared drought-hit in 11 districts in the state, according to the Bihar agriculture department. 

Hundreds of thousands of farmers who had no other means of irrigation were affected, said Arun Kumar Jha of Supaul, who has earlier worked in the Bihar Agriculture Department.

“Very few had other other means of irrigation but these areas were not categorised as drought-hit and were excluded from compensation,” said Jha. 

Read more: Bihar staring at water crisis in summer months with groundwater levels declining

He called government figures of affected farmers a “joke” and pointed out that former Bihar agriculture minister Sudhakar Singh and many Opposition leaders had also questioned the numbers. 

Several farmers in the state who qualified for the aid last year did not receive it, said Lalan Babu (75), teacher and farmer of Bhramarpur village in Bhagalpur district, which was classified as drought-struck. 

“Many villagers received Rs 3,500 per family. Those who didn’t have a few official documents were left out,” said Babu. “But the government had also announced it would arrange for alternative agriculture and other ancillary works, but no one in my village received any of it.”

Most farmers in Babu’s village are sharecroppers who didn’t qualify for the benefits. 

This year too, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has reviewed the situation pf farmers due to deficient rainfall and has directed officials to provide all possible help to the farmers. 

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