Center seeks memorandum from Odisha to provide drought assistance

BHUBANESWAR: In view of the sustained dry spell during the last Kharif season, as also in the early Rabi period in some part of the country, the Union government has asked the affected states including Odisha to submit a memorandum for drought assistance immediately.

In a communication to the state Government of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana and Ander Pradesh, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has urged the states to intimate immediately number of drought-affected districts in the state and whether drought has been declared in these areas or not.

States have also been asked to submit the financial memorandum for assistance from National Drought Relief Fund (NDRF).

On the receipt of this information, Center team will visit states to take stock of the situation and assess the assistance required.

So far memorandum for assistance for drought relief has been received from Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Central teams have visited three states and are currently on the tour of Maharashtra for assessing the quantum of assistance required by the states.