VIJAYAWADA: The government on Saturday declared 23 more mandals in Prakasam district as drought-hit, taking the total drought-hit mandals in the district to 46 out of the total 56. The number of the drought-hit mandals in the state in the kharif this year has now reached to 268 as the government, earlier, had declared 245 mandals in seven district as dought-hit.
In October, the government declared all the 63 mandals as drought-affected in Anantapur district, 53 out of 66 mandals in Chittoor district, 36 out of 54 mandals in Kurnool district, 32 out of 51 mandals in Kadapa district, 27 out of 46 mandals in Nellore district, 23 out of 56 mandals in Prakasam district and 11 out of 38 mandals in Srikakulam district.
Meanwhile, Prakasam collector Sujata Sharma has been instructed to issue the District Gazette notifications for taking up relief operations in the drought-hit mandals.