State demands Rs 7,789.14 crore

The state government has demanded a relief package of Rs 7,789.14 crores from the Centre for providing immediate and long-term relief in 58 drought-affected districts.

The governments survey for the actual assessment of the drought situation,however,is yet to be completed.

On Thursday,Agriculture Minister Laxmi Narayan Choudhari met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and told him about the state governments proposal for the relief package.

It includes diesel subsidy,arrangement for alternative seeds,fodder,vaccines,drilling of tubewells,strengthening of power supply and water through the canal system.

This year,rainfall across the state had been 42.6 per cent of the average.

As a result,only 51.36 per cent of the target rice crop has been sown till date. For all kharif crops,the sowing rate has been 55.14 per cent of the average monsoon target.

The state government on Thursday asked the district magistrates to send their financial requirement for the next two months. According to sources,the relief department had received the financial requirement of only 31 districts so far.

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Relief Commissioner S N Shukla said the exact picture of the damage done to the crops will emerge only after August 15 when the time for sowing ends.

We are keeping a close eye on the sowing of kharif crops. The figure related to the crop damage is still being prepared, he said.

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