-Livemint.com
A total of 302 districts across India, nearly half of its districts, received deficit or scanty rainfall this year
A total of 302 districts across India, nearly half of its districts, received deficit or scanty rainfall this year (at least 20% short of normal), according to India Meteorological Department. Yet, only 110 districts in five states—Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh—have been declared drought-hit by the state governments. States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Haryana are yet to follow although they account for 149 of the 302 deficit rainfall districts of the country. Just Uttar Pradesh and Bihar account for 91.
Notification of drought by state governments (or by the centre) is crucial because it enables farmers to claim compensation for crop damage, and avail of special provisions like drinking water, fodder for livestock, and restructuring of crop loans. This could partly address the worsening rural distress because of back-to-back deficit monsoons.
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