24 lakh hectare croplands affected in rains, floods

Natural calamities including heavy rains and floods have affected around 24.89 lakh hectares of cropped land this year so far, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed on Wednesday.

With 8.15 lakh hectares, Uttar Pradesh is the biggest loser, followed by Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh.

The figures were derived based on information received from the states and union territories, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran said in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

He mentioned that the primary responsibility for undertaking rescue and relief measures in the event of natural disasters rests with the State Government concerned.

The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Government by providing appropriate financial and logistic support, he added.