Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt on Monday declared Devbhumi Dwarka, Kutch, Porbandar and Jamnagar drought-hit after the four districts recorded deficient rainfall during the monsoon season.Chief minister Bhupendra Patel said the decision on drought declaration was taken as per the guidelines of the Centre after monsoon ended in the state. As per the Centre’s 2016 guidelines on drought, the announcement will be in effect for six months, he said.“The state has received 89% rain this monsoon. However, Devbhumi Dwarka, Kutch, Jamnagar and Porbandar received very little rain. Accordingly, these four districts have been declared drought-affected,” the CM told reporters in Gandhinagar. He added that state govt will stand with farmers and provide all assistance possible to them in these difficult times.Devbhumi Dwarka has received only 16.5% of its seasonal rainfall, while Porbandar has received 30.9%, Jamnagar has received 43.3% and Kutch has received 57.6% of its seasonal rainfall. It is for the first time since 2018 that multiple districts have been declared drought-hit in Gujarat. In 2018, state govt had declared 51 talukas, mostly in north Gujarat and Saurashtra, as drought-hit.In terms of talukas, Kalyanpur in Devbhumi Dwarka has received only 8% of seasonal rain, followed by 15% in Khambhaliya, 19% in Porbandar, and 20% in Dwarka talukas. In Kutch, three talukas – Abdasa (38%), Lakhpat (48%), and Nakhatrana (47%) – have received less than half of seasonal rain.“State govt will give assistance under SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) of Rs 8,500 per hectare for a maximum of two hectares to farmers whose crops have failed. The state government has already started providing fodder at discounted rates of Rs 2 per kilogramme,” the CM said, adding that there is no shortage of fodder stock in the state.Among other relief measures, govt announced that it will provide 150 days of employment under VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar & Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) in affected districts. This will be implemented from Nov 1, Patel said. “Gujarat govt will provide Rs 80 per cattle to cattle shelters for upkeep of the animals,” Patel said.The CM said govt remained committed to supporting farmers and livestock owners during distress, adding that their interests had been a priority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance.On irrigation, govt said water had been supplied to the command areas of 44 dams during the kharif season, based on demand. The state’s 206 major dams currently have 66% water storage.For the upcoming rabi season, irrigation supply has been planned for the command areas of 76 dams, with one to four rounds of watering depending on water availability. Drinking water has been reserved until June 30, 2027, with priority given to domestic consumption.Gujarat Kisan Congress president Pal Ambaliya said that the announcement of assistance of Rs 8,500 per hectare for a maximum of two hectares is a “cruel joke” on farmers. “Farmers in dozens of talukas have lost their entire crop because of deficient rain. We have urged the government to reconsider this assistance amount and increase it substantially,” he said.
