None of the 12 drought hit states is willing to allow central teams to visit affected areas for an on-the-spot assessment though they have not scaled down claims for assistance totalling around Rs 20,000 crore following the improvement in the rainfall.
The assistance is being sought from the National Contingency Calamity Relief Fund, and is in addition to the relief assistance of about Rs 1,185 crore already released to the states from the Calamity Relief Fund.
The Centre had shortlisted five states
