The Hindu : 9 States seek additional relief from NCCF

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 06, 2002

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9 States seek additional relief from NCCF

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 5. Nine rain-deficient States have sought Rs. 16,741.96 crores additional relief from the Centre.

Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttranchal have sought relief from the National Calamity Contingency Fund. The demand is in addition to the second instalment of Rs. 809 crores already released to 13 States, including Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, by the Centre from the Calamity Relief Fund. The demand for foodgrains under the food-for-work programme has also gone up to about 90 lakh tonnes.

Hemendra Singh, Special Secretary, Agriculture Ministry, who chaired today's meeting of the Crop and Weather Watch Group, said the rainfall was deficient by 30 per cent and the average water level in 17 major reservoirs was 45 per cent of last year. There was some rainfall in the last four days leading to sowing of bajra and maize in southern and central India and pulses and oilseeds in most parts of the country. There was a marginal improvement in the sowing of paddy as well.

However, western Rajasthan, parts of Punjab, south and west Haryana, Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh and eastern Madhya Pradesh remained deficient. Mr. Singh said the loss to the kharif crop would be assessed after August 15, as sowing was possible till then.

So far, Andhra Pradesh has declared 22 districts having 836 mandals (out of 1,192) as drought-hit. Chattisgarh has declared drought in all the 16 districts, Karnataka in 143 talukas, Rajasthan in all the 32 districts, Uttar Pradesh in 62 of 70 districts and Himachal Pradesh in all its 12 districts.

The poor rainfall has affected the coverage of rain-fed crops mainly coarse cereals and, to a lesser extent, oilseeds and pulses. The bajra crop in Rajasthan and Haryana has suffered. However, if the monsoon revives, some bajra area may be sown for fodder. The sowing of soyabean in Madhya Pradesh was affected, but recent rains have helped coverage, just as sowing of rice has picked up in Chattisgarh and east Madhya Pradesh.

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