Centre approves Rs 791 crore as drought assistance for Telangana

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday approved a central assistance of Rs 791 crore for Telangana in order to help the state cope with the drought situation which it is facing. The decision was taken at the meeting of the High-Level Committee (HLC), chaired by union home minister Rajnath Singh.

According to a press statement issued by home ministry, the committee examined the proposal based on the report of the central team which visited the drought-affected districts of Telangana. “The HLC approved the assistance from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) in respect of Telangana to the tune of Rs 791 crore,” said a Home Ministry spokesperson.

A total of 10 states, including Telangana, had in 2015 declared drought in more than 280 districts spread across the country. There was a 14 per cent deficit in the southwest monsoon last year due to the influence of the El Nino phenomenon. Rainfall deficits were experienced even as there were floods in some other parts of the country.