Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: Even as the number of drought-hit districts in the country has risen to 207, several States have demanded that the limit of 100 days assured employment under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme be raised to 200 days as a drought relief measure.

Sudhir K. Singh

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday sought Rs 395 crore assistance under the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) from the Centre to take up relief measures in drought-hit areas in the State.

M. B. Girish

For workers

Stalin meets Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar in New Delhi

South-west monsoon deficient in 26 out of 31 districts

Permission sought to import food grains

CHENNAI: The State government has sought financial assistance of Rs.605.06 crore from the Centre to meet the drought-like situation due to the failure of the south-west monsoon in the State.

HYDERABAD: The Centre will soon announce a major policy decision and a package of new initiatives to help farmers in the drought-hit parts across India, said Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Kumar Adhikari.

Scores of people staged a demonstration here in front of taluk office on Monday, demanding to declare the taluk as drought-hit.

Hyderabad, Aug. 10 With drought-like situation prevailing in most parts of the country, the Union Government is fine-tuning a special policy initiative within the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

New Delhi: Observing that the country was facing a "difficult situation" following delayed and deficient rainfall, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday that the Centre has adequate foodgrains and would not hesitate to take strong measures and intervene in the market if the need arose.

The Andhra Pradesh Government should make efforts in right earnest to take up drought relief measures in the State, as the situation is getting worse by the day, said Dr Y. Sivaji, a former member of the Rajya Sabha and also the honorary president of the AP Tobacco Growers