Chhattisgarh government declares seven more tehsils 'drought-hit'; total 117

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh government today included seven more tehsils in 'drought-hit' category, taking to 117 the the total number of tehsils which lost more than 50 per cent crops in the ongoing kharif season in the state.

Keeping in view the interest of farmers bearing the brunt of poor rains, seven more tehsils were declared drought affected in the state, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Premprakash Pandey said today.

These tehsils are Premnagar, Odigi and Bhaiyathan of Surajpur district, Jashpur and Bagicha (Jashpur), Dhamdha ( Durg) and Bastanar ( Bastar).

With this, a total of 117 teshils in 26 districts have been declared drought-affected.

As per the provisions of revenue book circular, compensation will be distributed to farmers of drought-hit areas by next month and specific directives in this regard have been given to Collectors of respective districts, Pandey said.

Notably, the state government has already sent a 'relief package' proposal of nearly Rs 4,000 crores to the Centre for undertaking relief works in drought-affected tehsils, he said.

The government has also decided to provide one quintal of paddy seeds each to drought-hit farmers in the next kharif crop season which would cost Rs 200-300 crore to the government exchequer.

Besides, farmers in the state who are provided free electricity supply of 7,500 units per year for their agricultural pumps of 3-5 horse power will now get free power upto 9,000 units, he said.