New Delhi: The threat of a drought looms large over India's 161 districts and sowing of crops was down by a fifth, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday.
"One hundred and sixty one districts have been declared as drought-prone," Mukherjee told reporters.
Mukherjee said the Government was sticking to a gross domestic product (GDP) growth target of more than six per cent and was confident that direct tax receipts for the 2009/10 fiscal year would be surpassed.
Mukherjee also said he was confident that the direct tax collection target of Rs 3.7 lakh crore will be surpassed for the current fiscal, he added.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday met Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) Chairman Mahendra Dev, who apprised him about measures required to tackle the situation arising out of the deficient and delayed monsoon.
In the meeting, which follows Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meet with Chief Secretaries, discussions were held on the drought situation, the right to food law and long-term policies to improve the farm sector.
Singh also met 13th Finance Commission Chairman Vijay Kelkar and Planning Commission Secretary Sudha Pillai yesterday and is believed to have discussed the drought situation in different parts of the country.
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