Jaipur, November 12: Nature is playing an unpredictable game where on one hand, there is life-threatening rain and on the other, there is equally severe draught! The Rajasthan state government today issued notification declaring 1388 villages of 13 tehsils of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Hanumangarh in the state as drought affected.
Under the notification, 131 villages of Barmer district have been declared as 'severe drought' affected and 92 villages are 'moderately drought' affected and 632 villages of Jaisalmer district have been declared as 'severe' and 40 villages are 'moderately' drought affected.
Similarly, 13 villages in Jodhpur district have been declared as severe and 297 villages are moderately drought prone. A total of 182 villages in Hanumangarh district have been declared as severely drought affected and one village is moderately drought affected.
The provisions of Sections 5 to 10 of the Rajasthan Affected Areas (Suspension of Proceedings) Act 1952 in these affected villages will remain in force for six months from the date of notification. Under the provisions the people of the affected areas any default on taxes would not be treated as default.