Chhattisgarh is among four States which have submitted memorandum for assistance for drought relief to the Centre.
So far memorandum for assistance for drought relief has been received from Karnataka, Chhattisgarh Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, officials
stated.
Central teams have visited three states and is currently on tour of Maharashtra for assessing quantum of assistance required by the States.
In view of sustained dry spell during the last Kharif season, as also in the early Rabi period in some part of the country, the Center has asked the affected states to submit memorandum for drought assistance immediately.
In a communication to the state Government of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Telagana and Ander Pradesh, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare has urged the states to intimate immediately number of drought affected districts in the State and whether drought has been declared in these area or not.
States have also been asked to submit the financial memorandum for assistance from National Drought Relief Fund (NDRF).
On the receipt of this information, Center team will visit states to take stock of the situation and assess the assistance required.
Chief Minister Raman Singh had recently announced that 22 lakh farmers will be provided free seeds worth `200 crore to 300 crore in the drought-hit regions of Chhattisgarh.
About 9,000 units of electricity will be supplied free-of-cost to the farmers. Earlier it was 7,500 units.
About Rs 30,000 worth of power is being supplied free-of-cost to each farmer, he said in his address on the third episode of 'Raman Ke Goth'' programme aired on All India Radio (AIR) on Sunday last.
Four lakh farmers with irrigation pumps will be benefitted with the steps taken by the Government.
Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), youth will be provided with 150 days of employment. Earlier it was 100 days of employment, he said,
A Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh held on November 3 this year had decided to declare 17 more tehsils with yield of 50 paise or less as drought affected.
Including this, the total number of drought-affected tehsils in the State has now gone upto 110.