Ranchi: Due to less rainfall in the state this year too, there is a drought situation in 158 blocks of 17 districts. In the meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in the light of the report of the Agriculture Department, it was recommended to declare all the above mentioned blocks as drought areas.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the Disaster Management Department to prepare a proposal to declare all these 158 blocks as drought areas, so that it can be placed for approval in the Council of Ministers meeting.
The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Disaster Management Department to send a proposal to the Central Government to provide financial assistance to the farmers affected by drought.
The Chief Minister told the officials that appropriate steps should be taken to provide relief to the farmers affected by drought.
Like last year, this year too he directed to give an ex-gratia amount of Rs 3500 per farmer as immediate relief to the farmers affected by drought. Apart from this, input grant amount will be paid to those farmers whose crops have been damaged up to 33 percent due to less rainfall.