The Central team for assessment of drought in Tamil Nadu is making an on the spot assessment of the damages due to the severe drought in various districts today. <br/><br/>The 10-member team headed by Ms Vasudha Mishra, Managing Director, National Co-operative Development Corporation of the Union Ministry of Agriculture has been divided into five different panels to cover as many districts as possible before winding up their tour tomorrow. All districts of Tamil Nadu have been declared to be affected by severe drought by the state government.

The Central team for assessment of drought in Tamil Nadu has begun its on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the state. The ten-member inter ministerial team headed by Vasudha Mishra, Managing Director, National Co-operative Development Corporation attached to the Union Ministry of Agriculture held discussions with chief minister O panneerselvam yesterday in Chennai. The chief minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having promptly deputed the Central Team following his request. <br/><br/>Mr Panneerselvam told the Central team, the state relies mainly on the North-East monsoon spanning October to December for its rainfall. The State received only 16.8 cm of rainfall during the monsoon as against the normal rainfall of 44 cm, a deficit of 62%. Earlier even in the South-West monsoon a deficit of 20% was recorded. He said, the drought situation worsened due to the non-release of Cauvery water by Karnataka in accordance with the Tribunal order.<br/><br/>In 87% of the area, the extent of crop damage is estimated to be more than 50%. The chief minister told the central team, the drought is severe in a large majority of villages and the situation is likely to worsen in the ensuing months. The whole State has been declared as affected by severe drought on 10th of this month. The team leader Ms Vasudha Mishra told the chief minister, the team empathised with the farmers and people of the state at the time of severe and unprecedented drought. The team assured, it would submit its assessment report to the Union Agriculture Ministry at the earliest.<br/><br/>A release from the state administration says Ms Vasudha Mishra commended the efforts of the State Government in taking up immediate relief and rehabilitation measures to mitigate the distress caused by drought. The Central Team split into four groups and is schedued to visit various districts to make an assessment of the ground situation, before returning to Chennai tomorrow. They are expected to hold consultations with senior officials before winding up their tour and file their report to the Union Government for follow up action.