Maharashtra Cabinet adds 250 more mandals to its existing drought list

After declaring drought in 151 tehsils of 26 districts in the state, the state Cabinet on Thursday announced drought in 250 'mandals'.

Mandals are smaller revenue units than talukas or tehsils. A taluka is made up of several mandals.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the 151 talukas were declared as drought-hit Wednesday as they had fulfilled the conditions of the Union government's 'drought manual'.

"We decided in the cabinet meeting today that the mandals which have received less than 75 per cent of average rainfall or less than 700 mm of rain will also be declared as drought-hit," he said.

"Accordingly, additional 250 mandals were declared drought-hit," Fadnavis said.

The chief minister further said a committee will be formed under the Relief and Rehabilitation department to look into complaints such as an area not being declared as drought-hit for technical reasons despite the actual ground situation. Fadnavis said that the committee would ensure that if some areas have been left out due to some technical issues, all such areas would also be included in drought-affected areas. Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar informed that state Government would ensure that all the areas which are facing problems due to less rainfall would be taken care of.

"We have also started drought relief measures in many parts," Fadnavis said.

With inputs from agencies