The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared 13 more mandals as drought-affected located in Visakhapatnam, Medak and Karimnagar districts factoring adverse seasonal conditions leading to damage of standing crops after the retreat of the South-West monsoon.

With today's announcement based on the assessment made by the disaster management teams and the Revenue Department in the State, the total number of mandals to be declared drought affected has gone up to 665 mandals across 21 districts, including 13 mandals announced today. These mandals would be entitled to special focus.

Following a review of the adverse seasonal conditions prevailing in parts of the State, these mandals have been added based on the data provided by District Collectors. With this, more than half of the 1,122 mandals in the State have been declared as drought-hit after the withdrawal of the South West Monsoon 2011. The State Government today issued orders declaring them as drought-hit.

The State Government has been reviewing the seasonal conditions from time to time during the monsoon period and assessing its fallout. According to the assessment, the State received an average rainfall of 532.7 mm as against normal rainfall of 624.1 mm, with a deviation of minus 15 per cent.

vrishi@thehindu.co.in

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