Sept. 9: The state government has finally declared 971 of the total 1,108 mandals in AP as drought hit and has sought an assistance of Rs 4,200 crore from the Centre. The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, who made this announcement on Wednesday at the Secretariat, said that his predecessor, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, wanted to declare the state drought-hit on September 4.