66 Tehsils declared drought-hit

     Raipur, August 28, 2009: Due to scattered or delayed rainfall, Chhattisgarh Government today declared 66 of its tehsils as drought affected.

     “Out of 18 districts, due to scanty rainfall or scattered rainfall, 66 Tehsils spread over 12 districts have been declared drought hit,” an official order said today.

     It was decided to declare drought-hit taking into consideration the eye estimate of Kharif crop, it said.

     After declaring drought hit, the state government also said recovery of revenue and tax under the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code 1959 has been stopped with immediate effect.

     Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today directed the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department to open employment generated schemes in the drought hit areas on war footing.

     Reviewing the works of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department, the Chief Minister today also said villagers and farm labourers should be covered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and other government projects.