Bhopal, May 23 (IANS) The drought-affected Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh will soon get a special package of Rs.10 billion from the central government, said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state president Hamid Qazi here Friday. Qazi told newspersons that union Agriculture Minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar has assured the state party delegation that a special package of about Rs.10 billion would be provided for the Bundelkhand region of the state by the end of May.

Bundelkhand has been suffering from drought for the fourth consecutive year and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has accused the central government of discriminating against the state by not providing relief for the drought-affected region.

Chouhan also observed a 24-hour fast in Bhopal to press his demand for the central government’s special relief package for the region.