State told to submit proper drought report: Pawar

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the state government has been urged yet again to submit its report on the drought situation based on crop cultivation as the exact situation of drought cannot be ascertained on the criteria presented.

The state government was earlier asked to submit the drought report based on the criteria of less than 50 per cent rainfall and 50 per cent crop sowing. “The information does not give a clear picture of the drought situation. Therefore,the state governments has been asked to submit a report on the basis of crop cultivation by September 15,” Pawar told reporters.

“There was deficiency in the report submitted by the state government,” he said,adding,that the Union government would try to provide as much financial assistance as possible to the state government to tackle the drought situation.

The funding would not be done with immediate effect,said Pawar,adding that team of home ministry would visit the drought affected area and only then will the fund to be allotted to the state government be decided.

He said that 123 talukas in Maharashtra,142 in Karnataka and 132 in Gujarat have been declared as drought-affected.