<p>The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a joint platform of organisations, has demanded that drought relief should be immediately provided by the state government and the Centre.</p>.<p>Referring to available rain data, the Mahasabha stated that the state received 25 per cent less rainfall than what was considered normal. Garhwa and Palamu were the most affected among the districts that received less rainfall. The shortfall could severely impact paddy cultivation, Mahasabha mentioned in a statement.</p>.<p>“Almost all the districts of (the) state received less than normal rainfall during the initial days of monsoon. Therefore, the situation is grim even in districts that received better rainfall in subsequent weeks such as West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharsawan. According to government’s data, this year the net sown area under paddy is about 50% less than normal,” the statement said.</p>.<p>The Mahasabha made other demands before the Centre, and the state government, including impact assessment of drought in the state and extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for at least the next six months.</p>.<p>Apart from these, the Mahasabha also wanted the state government to double the ration for the people, inclusion of 20 lakh more people in the public distribution system, make pulses and edible oil available at subsidised prices through the PDS, and double the allocation of work under MGNREGA.</p>.<p>It also wanted six eggs per week for children in anganwadis and schools and to check corruption in MGNREGA and PDS.</p>
<p>The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a joint platform of organisations, has demanded that drought relief should be immediately provided by the state government and the Centre.</p>.<p>Referring to available rain data, the Mahasabha stated that the state received 25 per cent less rainfall than what was considered normal. Garhwa and Palamu were the most affected among the districts that received less rainfall. The shortfall could severely impact paddy cultivation, Mahasabha mentioned in a statement.</p>.<p>“Almost all the districts of (the) state received less than normal rainfall during the initial days of monsoon. Therefore, the situation is grim even in districts that received better rainfall in subsequent weeks such as West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharsawan. According to government’s data, this year the net sown area under paddy is about 50% less than normal,” the statement said.</p>.<p>The Mahasabha made other demands before the Centre, and the state government, including impact assessment of drought in the state and extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for at least the next six months.</p>.<p>Apart from these, the Mahasabha also wanted the state government to double the ration for the people, inclusion of 20 lakh more people in the public distribution system, make pulses and edible oil available at subsidised prices through the PDS, and double the allocation of work under MGNREGA.</p>.<p>It also wanted six eggs per week for children in anganwadis and schools and to check corruption in MGNREGA and PDS.</p>
