At a time when heavy rains have badly hit the country's financial and entertainment capital Mumbai, Bihar is facing a drought threat for the second consecutive year.

Poor rainfall has affected the ongoing process of sowing paddy across the state. Farmers fear that if rainfall continues to be scanty for a fortnight or more, it would create a drought again.

Official sources in the State Agriculture Department confirmed that paddy had been transplanted only in 25 percent of the agricultural land in the state.

"Till date we have received reports of poor paddy transplantation," officials said. Department officials claimed that paddy had been transplanted in 13.15 lakh hectares in the state.

Officials said agricultural work had virtually come to a standstill due to the lack of rains during the last ten days. The worst affected districts are Nawada, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saran and Nalanda.

According to Meteorological department officials, 354 mm rains had been recorded across the state till July 30 this year while the rains recorded should have been 502 mm.

Dr V N Sahay, scientist in the Agricultural Research Institute in Patna, said poor rains had hit paddy plantation. However, paddy plantation could be possible in the next 10 to 12 days if there were good rains.