JAIPUR: In Rajasthan, 80 tehsils across 14 districts have been declared drought-affected by the Bhajan Lal government for the 2026 kharif season, citing inadequate rainfall, declining water availability and poor crop conditions. Of these, 69 tehsils have been placed in the 'severe drought' category and 11 are moderately affected.
The Disaster Management, Relief and Civil Defence Department issued two notifications on October 24 and 25. The declarations will remain in force for six months from their publication.
The October 24 notification identified 53 tehsils in 13 districts. A subsequent order brought another 27 tehsils across 10 districts under the declaration. Bikaner was the only new district added, increasing the overall district count to 14. Among the additional tehsils, 25 face severe drought and two are placed in the moderate drought category.
Jodhpur in western Rajasthan accounts for the largest number of affected tehsils, at 12. Barmer and Jalore follow with 10 each, Balotra with nine and Pali with eight. Seven tehsils each have been notified in Dungarpur, Jaisalmer and Phalodi. The declaration also covers three tehsils in Banswara, two each in Churu and Beawar, and one each in Bikaner, Nagaur and Sirohi.
All the notified tehsils in Barmer, Jalore, Balotra and Pali fall in the severe category. In Jodhpur, 11 are severely affected, while Pipar Shahar faces moderate drought. Six tehsils each in Jaisalmer and Phalodi are severely affected, with Jaisalmer tehsil and Setrawa, respectively, placed in the moderate category.
Dungarpur has four severely affected tehsils and three moderately affected ones. In Banswara, Garhi and Arthuna face severe drought, while Sajjangarh is moderately affected. Both notified tehsils in Churu and Sheoganj in Sirohi are severely affected, while those in Beawar, Nagaur and Bikaner are moderately affected.
The assessment followed the Centre’s Drought Management Manual, 2016, drawing on rainfall, surface and groundwater availability, crop conditions and information from the national Drought Monitoring Portal.
