Maha: After 151 talukas, additional 250 mandals declared

The Maharashtra government on Thursday announced drought in 250 'mandals' in the state in addition to 151 talukas already declared as drought-affected.

Mandals are smaller revenue units than talukas or tehsils. A taluka is made up of several mandals.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the 151 talukas were declared as drought-hit Wednesday as they had fulfilled the conditions of the Union government's 'drought manual'.

"We decided in the cabinet meeting today that the mandals which have received less than 75 per cent of average rainfall or less than 700 mm of rain will also be declared as drought-hit," he told reporters.

"Accordingly, additional 250 mandals were declared drought-hit today," Fadnavis said.

The chief minister said it was also decided that a committee will be formed under the Relief and Rehabilitation department to look into complaints such as an area not being declared as drought-hit for technical reasons despite the actual ground situation.

"We have also started drought relief measures in many parts," Fadnavis said.

The government on Wednesday declared drought in 151 talukas in 26 of the total of 36 districts in Maharashtra.