Chief Secretary & other senior officials brief central team over drought conditions in Jharkhand

Ranchi (By our correspondent): A high-level team of the state government led by Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi briefed the team
of the centre led by Joint Secretary of the Agriculture Department Aatish Chandra which had come to the state to make an assessment
of the drought condition. Welcoming the team Chief Secretary said that farmers of the state have high hopes from this team and urged them to cooperate in the interest of the farmers of the state. The officials through a detailed presentation detailed about the drought condition of the state and said that a relief of Rs 818.93 crore has been sought.

Home Secretary S KG Rahate said that due to the delay in the South West Monsson which got delayed by 15 days the average rainfall was hit by 32.96 percent which resulted in delay in the sowing season while in October due to very less rainfall the ready crop was damaged badly impacting 129 blocks of 18 districts. He said that in the last 17 years Jharkhand has faced drought on 10 occasions and the worst situation was in 2015.

He said that to address the water issue as immediate relief a sum of Rs 100 crore was released while the hit districts have been given one crore each. Agriculture Secretary Pooja Singhal said that worst hit are Koderma, Giridih, Palamu, Garhwa, Pakur, Godda and Dumka districts. She said that in the course of the physical verification of the drought hit areas it was found that 93 blocks are adversely hit while another 36 are medium hit and informed that in all these districts control rooms have been set.

Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department Arun Kumar Singh along with Secretary Food and Civil Supplies Amitabh Kaushal and those of the various other departments also informed the team regarding the works which are being done by their respective departments for drought relief. Later the members of the central committee got divided into three groups and went to Palamu Garhwa Dumka Pakur Godda Koderma and Giridih. Joint Secretary of the Agriculture Department Aatish Chandra said that after visiting the spots the team will make an assessment of the assistance.