Overview
- The Rajasthan government declared 80 tehsils across 14 districts drought‑affected, with the notifications published on Monday, Oct 26, and the proclamations set to remain in force for six months.
- Of the 80 tehsils, 69 are classed as severely affected and 11 as moderately affected, with Jodhpur (12), Barmer (10) and Jalore (10) among the worst hit.
- Gujarat on Oct 26 declared Kutch, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar drought‑affected and announced SDRF crop aid of ₹8,500 per hectare (up to two hectares), ₹80 per animal per day for two months in relief camps, subsidised fodder and 150 days of rural employment from Nov. 1.
- Both state assessments followed the Centre’s 2016 Drought Management Manual and used inputs from the Centre’s Drought Monitoring Portal after local shortfalls in rainfall, low surface and groundwater and damage to kharif crops.
- The declarations widen a multi‑state agricultural crisis that earlier included Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, leaving farmers facing damaged bajra, pulses and oilseed crops, looming fodder shortages, suspended loan recoveries in Rajasthan, and pressure on rabi irrigation and district relief stocks.