Govt likely to declare three dozen districts drought-hit

“We cannot seek any relief package from the Centre without declaring a part or whole of the state as drought-hit,” said a Revenue department official.

The relief package is being prepared and the Agriculture department has already submitted its requirement of seeds of low water intensity crops,said the official.

The Opposition parties,including Samajwadi Party,Congress and the BJP,have already voiced their concerns over the deficient rainfall in the state.

They have been demanding the state to be declared drought-hit. “The state government seems to be waiting for a famine to take place,” said Ashok Mishra,former CPI state secretary.

According to the Relief department,there is no improvement in the rainfall situation in the state and the overall rainfall deficiency across the state remains at 60 per cent.

Till July 20,against the normal rainfall of 276.2 mm,the state has received only 112.02 mm,which is 40.5 per cent of the average.

As many as 39 districts have been identified with 40 per cent rainfall. While three districts — Gorakhpur,Pratapgarh and Lalitpur in Bundelkhand — have recorded 81.81 per cent rainfall,in another eight districts — Hamirpur,Sonbhadra,Bahriach,Lakhimpur Kheri,Barabanki,Banda,Shravasti and Sant Ravidas Nagar — the rainfall average is 40 to 60 per cent of the normal.

According to the estimates of the Revenue department,around 40 per cent sowing of the crops has been delayed across the state due to the deficient rainfall.