The Centre will send teams to Karnataka and Maharashtra to assess the drought situation, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on September 28. A central team will visit Karnataka on October 3.

Chouhan said he has spoken to the Maharashtra chief minister and a team will be sent there too. He said he will personally visit the crisis-hit states with his team.

He was speaking at a two-day national conference on rabi season preparedness. He said climate change effects are now visible, and the kharif crop has been hit.

Maharashtra has declared drought in two-thirds of the state. States have been asked to prepare a water budget and prioritise less water-intensive crops like pulses for the rabi season.

Karnataka chief minister Shivakumar has written to the Prime Minister seeking immediate interim drought relief. Relief and crop planning now depend on the teams’ assessment, with the rabi sowing season close.