Near scarcity in 999 Maharashtra villages

The Maharashtra government has declared scarcity-like conditions in 999 villages from 16 talukas, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told a news conference here after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

According to a preliminary estimate, agricultural output in these villages at the end of the rainy season will be less than 50 per cent of projections. Villages from Satara, Sangli, Nashik, Ahmednagar and Dhule have been identified as facing scarcity-like conditions.

The government has decided to control the situation by setting up animal feed depots, giving feed subsidies, providing water and undertaking works under the employment guarantee programme.