The Centre has decided to release a relief package of more than Rs 2,892 crore for seven states, including Maharashtra, to help them tackle the impact of droughts, floods and landslides faced last year. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.It has also revised the guidelines for relief under "crop loss" and raised the assistance by 50 per cent in all categories including rain-fed and irrigated areas and for perennial crops. The expenditure for cattle at camps, including the cost of medicines and water supply, was also raised.
Rs 1,207.84 crore has been approved for Maharashtra, Rs 864.71 crore for Gujarat and Rs 66.61 crore for Kerala to tackle drought. The EGoM also approved Rs 54.49 crore relief packages to Kerala that suffered floods last year. Besides, Rs 417.12 crore has been approved for Andhra Pradesh in the wake of cyclone Nilam, Rs 115.32 crore for Himachal Pradesh, Rs 93.76 crore for Sikkim and Rs 72.76 crore for Uttarkhand due to cloud burst, floods and landslides.
The relief package, to be released under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), will be implemented from March 1, 2013.
Further from the Agricultural Ministry’s funds under the Horticulture Mission, the EGoM sanctioned a special scheme of rejuvenation of orchards in the drought affected regions of Maharashtra. Under this, the Centre will bear 50 per cent cost, while the rest will come from the farmer.
This is the third time that Maharashtra has been given assistance to tide over the prolonged drought in Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions. Earlier, it was sanctioned Rs. 778 crore and Rs. 500 crore before kharif of 2012 along with other drought-hit States.
Drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that lead to water related problems. When rainfall is below normal for weeks, months or even years, it brings about a decline in the flow of rivers and streams and a drop in water levels in reservoirs and wells. If dry weather persists and water supply-related problems increase, the dry period can be called a 'drought'.
With respect to Maharshtra Drought-affected districts in the State get annual rainfall in the range between 600 to 750 mm through Southwest monsoon, almost all of which is received between June to October. About 50 percent of the drought prone areas of Maharashtra are in the Deccan Plateau. About 90 per cent of the land in the state has basaltic rock, which is nonporous and prevents rainwater percolation into the ground and thus makes the area drought prone.
Rs 1,207.84 crore has been approved for Maharashtra, Rs 864.71 crore for Gujarat and Rs 66.61 crore for Kerala to tackle drought. The EGoM also approved Rs 54.49 crore relief packages to Kerala that suffered floods last year. Besides, Rs 417.12 crore has been approved for Andhra Pradesh in the wake of cyclone Nilam, Rs 115.32 crore for Himachal Pradesh, Rs 93.76 crore for Sikkim and Rs 72.76 crore for Uttarkhand due to cloud burst, floods and landslides.
The relief package, to be released under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), will be implemented from March 1, 2013.
Further from the Agricultural Ministry’s funds under the Horticulture Mission, the EGoM sanctioned a special scheme of rejuvenation of orchards in the drought affected regions of Maharashtra. Under this, the Centre will bear 50 per cent cost, while the rest will come from the farmer.
This is the third time that Maharashtra has been given assistance to tide over the prolonged drought in Marathwada and western Maharashtra regions. Earlier, it was sanctioned Rs. 778 crore and Rs. 500 crore before kharif of 2012 along with other drought-hit States.
Drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that lead to water related problems. When rainfall is below normal for weeks, months or even years, it brings about a decline in the flow of rivers and streams and a drop in water levels in reservoirs and wells. If dry weather persists and water supply-related problems increase, the dry period can be called a 'drought'.
With respect to Maharshtra Drought-affected districts in the State get annual rainfall in the range between 600 to 750 mm through Southwest monsoon, almost all of which is received between June to October. About 50 percent of the drought prone areas of Maharashtra are in the Deccan Plateau. About 90 per cent of the land in the state has basaltic rock, which is nonporous and prevents rainwater percolation into the ground and thus makes the area drought prone.
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