New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya on Wednesday met Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek S. Ahluwalia to seek the central government's help to check bird flu.

"It (bird blu) is a serious problem. We have discussed it with the Planning Commission and we expect support from the government," Bhattacharya told reporters here.

At the meeting, an annual outlay of Rs.116.02 billion for the financial year 2008-09 was approved for the state.

The chief minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the bird flu that has virtually destroyed West Bengal's poultry industry.

According to informed sources, the chief minister may also seek the prime minister's intervention in getting the shipping ministry's approval for setting up a deep-sea port in Kolkata through public-private partnership or private participation.

Source : IANS