Drought-like situation declared

: More than half the tehsils in Maharashtra are staring at drought this year due to deficient rainfall. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday declared drought-like situation in 180 of the 355 tehsils from 32 districts in the state. There are 36 districts in the state. Fadnavis also announced relief measures for the affected areas, which will now be started with immediate effect.

In the state government’s jargon, drought-like situation is a situation arising out of water scarcity but one that is not a drought yet. Declaring that drought-like situation exists in the affected areas has enabled the government to announce relief measures for the regions, officials said. The government may declare drought in the affected areas by this month-end.

Fadnavis said Tuesday’s decision will help people from the affected areas in various ways. They will now be able to get exemption in land revenue, get farm loans restructured, get stay on recovery of farm loan, 33.5% concession in the electricity bills of agriculture pumps, non-disconnection of electricity supply of agriculture pumps over nonpayment and waiver of exam fees of the students in schools and colleges, he said. “This year, the state has received only 77% of the average rainfall and drought-like situation has emerged currently. Following the Centre’s drought management manual, the state has completed all the procedures to determine the actual situation and now has declared droughtlike situation in 180 tehsils,” the chief minister said.

MUMBAI