The Central Government would provide relief only to those farmers, who were affected by drought, and not compensation for crop loss, clarified Pravesh Sharma, Team leader of the Central Drought Tea

Farmers in Namakkal district will get the entire drought relief fund of Rs. 56.11 crore.

“The package will benefit a total of 1,17,458 farmers who suffered crop or yield loss of more than 50 per cent on an area of 1,80,981 acres, as on January 2013”, Collector D. Jagannathan told The Hindu on Friday. An initial survey on the impact of the drought was conducted in January. A detailed report was submitted to the State Government and to a high level committee headed by Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam and five other Ministers.

Compensation to be credited to their savings bank accounts

The State government has sanctioned Rs.60 crore for the distribution of compensation to 1.28 lakh farmers who suffered more than 50 per cent crop loss due to drought, according to Collector N.Venkatachalam. Presiding over a special drought relief meeting at the Collectorate here on Thursday, he said crops on 1.83 lakh acres, including paddy covering 9,919 acres, were damaged.

Veteran playback singer Asha Bhosale on Wednesday contributed Rs five lakh towards the Maharashtra Chief Minister's drought relief fund.

MNS has now decided to target the Rs 1,500-crore bottled water industry in the state.

Assessment by high-level committee based on interactions with farmers

A Rs.1,755-crore package of drought relief measures was unveiled on Friday for non-Cauvery delta districts in the State.
Of this package, six components were meant for about 17.9 lakh farmers, who had suffered over 50 per cent crop loss. The farmers, for a variety of crops, would receive a total compensation of Rs. 835.21 crore.

Mumbai: Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has unexpectedly secured a whopping financial assistance of Rs2,700 crore from the Centre, as a result of which senior bureaucrats feel that there will be no shortage of funds to tackle the drought.

“We are facing a worst-ever drought in 4,000 villages in 12 districts. Initially, we felt that it would be a difficult task owing to paucity of funds. However, in view of central assistance of Rs2,700 crore and our own budgetary provision of Rs2,000 crore, we will be able to tackle the unprecedented situation,’’ a senior bureaucrat told TOI on Tuesday.

Chandy lays stress on rainwater harvesting

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has directed officials to ensure that rainwater harvesting pits are made compulsory for all new constructions in the capital district, apart from initiating digging of rain pits under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Addressing a drought review meeting at the District Collectorate here on Monday, Mr. Chandy said the maximum sum District Collectors could sanction for drought relief projects would be raised to Rs.20 lakh from the existing Rs.5 lakh.

With scorching summer pushing Kerala to unprecedented drought, political parties on Wednesday voiced concern in the state assembly over the acute water and power crisis even as the Government said it has already taken all possible measures to tackle the “grim situation.”

After a three-hour debate on an adjournment motion by opposition LDF, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Rs. 159 crore had already been sanctioned to take urgent measures as the government acted well in advance anticipating the trying times in store.

Eleven borewells are being sunk in different parts of Golden Rock zone of the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation as part of the drought-relief work in the city, according to Mayor A. Jaya.

The corporation is sinking about 50 borewells with hand pumps and 10 others with power pumps in different parts of the city under funds sanctioned by the government for drought relief.