(a) the areas/locations identified as drought prone areas in the country;
(b) whether the Government is considering to approve any proposal to identify the reasons for drought in these areas to carry out scientific analysis to check the drought in the drought prone areas; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
???? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (c): Government of India has decided that District Action Plans be prepared for districts which face frequent drought and acute water stress. In the first instance, 24 districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan, with the highest frequency of droughts during the 2000-2015 period have been identified. The District Action Plans would be devised making use of basic information on soil types, rainfall characteristics, hydrological and irrigation profiles, watershed development, existing cropping patterns, socio-economic vulnerabilities etc. and suggest appropriate measures, which may, inter-alia, include alterations in the cropping patterns, efficient and sustainable exploitation of ground water/irrigation resources etc. over the short, medium and long term. The plans would also identify targets for various actionable recommendations to facilitate a robust monitoring of component/scheme-wise progress.
********