According to an official estimate 4,168 mouzas out of a total of 42,000 mouzas in the state have been hit by scant or no rains during these five summer months. Temperature is shooting up to 43 degree Celsius in some of the South Bengal districts such as Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore for about a month or so. Standing crops, mainly boro paddy and vegetables worth Rs. 2000 million has been damaged due to drought. A comprehensive report on drought in the State will soon be sent to the Centre State's Ministers will also visit the drought-affected areas in the districts soon to decide on measures to counter the effects of the prevailing drought.

On May 5 a high-level meeting of Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipatis, district Magistrates was held in the State secretariat to take stock of the government measures already taken to tide over the effects of drought. Senior Ministers too were present at the meeting,. It was reported that rainfall has been 80% less than usual in some of the South Bengal districts till a fortnight age. With some rainfall reported in the past few days in Bankura and Purulia, there has been some improvement in the rainfall data.

But the crisis continues. The Left front government had earlier sanctioned Rs. 1150 million to repair tubewells or to sink new ones, augment irrigation facilities to save crops to the extent possible. It is feared that if rains do not set in soon, there will be major loss of jute and aus seedlings. District authorities have been alerted to take steps to save jute and aus paddy seedling.

Dr. Ashim Dasgupta, the State's Finance Minister, said that the nationalized and cooperative banks had been asked to convert short-term farm loans into long term loans in view of drought. Efforts will be made to repair all the tube-wells in the districts during next fortnight.