Maharashtra drought crisis: Agriculture sector to decline by 2.7%, claims state's Economic Survey

Mumbai: The severe drought gripping parts of Maharashtra has left its imprint on the State Economic Survey, which says agriculture and allied services sector is expected to decline by 2.7 per cent. [caption id=“attachment_2681486” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Total rainfall in the state during 2015 was deficient at 59.4% of the national rainfall. AFP[/caption] The ‘Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2015-16’ was tabled in the State Legislature here on Thursday, a day ahead of the presentation of Budget. Total rainfall in the state during 2015 was deficient at 59.4 per cent of the national rainfall, the Survey said. Of the 355 tehsils (excluding those in Mumbai city and suburbs), 278 tehsils received deficient, 75 tehsils received normal and two tehsils received excess rainfall, it said. During Kharif season of 2015, sowing was completed on 141.46 lakh hectares, which was six per cent less than the previous year (150.97 lakh hectares). This and deficient rains resulted in expected decline of 18 per cent in production of total food-grains and marginal decline of two per cent in oilseeds production for Kharif crops, it said. Due to the deficient rains in Kharif season 2015, area under Rabi crop is expected to decline by 16 per cent as compared to the previous year, the Survey said. The Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan launched by the state primarily aims at making Maharashtra a drought-free state by 2019, the Survey said. The Abhiyan involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, works on nullah and digging of farm ponds, it said. The target is to make 5,000 villages free of water scarcity every year, the Survey said. PTI