Another 931 villages declared drought-affected in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Thursday announced another 931 villages in the state as "drought-affected", which will entitle them to several benefits and conessions.

Earlier, the Union government had announced 151 of the 358 tehsils in Maharashtra as drought-affected in October.

Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil held a review meeting on drought situation earlier Thursday.

"A government committee has assessed the data of water availability and fodder and crop productivity in tehsils which were not covered under the Centre's relief scheme," he told reporters.

"931 villages from 50 revenue circles were found to have less than 50 per cent productivity. These villages will now get the benefit of schemes for drought-affected areas," Patil said.

"Today's announcement means only these villages are declared as drought-affected and not the entire tehsil (where the village is located)," said an official from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department.