Centre to send teams to assess drought in Maharashtra, Karnataka
India
The central government is sending teams to Maharashtra and Karnataka to check out the drought situation after both states declared large areas as drought-affected due to weak monsoon rains.
A central team will visit Karnataka on October 3, while a similar team will be sent to Maharashtra.
Karnataka rolls out ₹1,250 cr relief
Maharashtra has called drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils after getting 18% less rain than usual, while Karnataka has marked 177 taluks as affected and rolled out a ₹1,250 crore relief package for about 5 million farmers.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is urging smarter crop planning, like switching to less water-hungry crops, and better coordination between the center and states so farmers can cope with climate challenges.