The Agriculture Ministry has prepared contingency plans for 320 districts across the country to overcome severe drought conditions. The concerned States have been advised to prepare location-specific alternatives based on these plans. They have also been asked to be in touch with the agricultural Universities and arrange seeds of alternate crops to implement the plans. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Harish Rawat, gave this information in the Lok Sabha today. He stated that due to deficient rainfall this year, Kharif crops could be sown only in 802 lakh hectares as against the normal area of nearly 855 lakh hectares till the 8th of this month. Besides deficient rainfall, there has also been a shortage of green and dry fodder, further aggravating the situation. In addition, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan are facing scarcity of drinking water as well, the Minister said.