BJP urges Centre to declare Pondy, Karaikal drought hit

BJP's Puducherry unit today urged Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to declare Puducherry and Karaikal regions of the Union Territory as drought hit.
A release from unit president V.Saminathan said he had submitted a memorandum to the Central Minister during his visit to Delhi to participate in a meeting of the executive of the national BJP committee highlighting the "poor predicament" of farmers in Puducherry and Karaikal following failure of monsoon.
He said Karaikal ryots were hit severely for want of water in the Cauvery river system as the region lies in the Cauvery river basin.
The Puducherry government should also initiate steps to waive loans due from farmers to cooprative societies, he added.