Jharkhand govt asks Centre to declare state as drought-hit

Jharkhand government on Tuesday decided to recommend the Centre to declare the state as drought-hit following scanty rainfall this season.

Additional Chief Secretary and in-charge of the Cabinet department N N Pandey said that the decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raghubar Das. A physical verification found crop loss and decline in the levels of ground water and surface water bodies, Pandey said.

The state government had announced a package of Rs 1,398 crore to drought-hit farmers on November 6 for subsidised diesel, distribution of seeds, construction of small check dams and other facilities.