As many as 50 of the 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh have been declared drought-hit, said an official on Thursday, 19 November.

Revenue collection in the affected districts will remain suspended till 31 March, 2016, he added.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav after assessing the detailed district-wise report of the drought situation.

Among the districts declared drought-hit are Faizabad, Jhansi, Sant Ravi Das Nagar, Lucknow, Allahabad, Mirzapur, Ballia and Ghaziabad.

Extensive relief measures have been ordered by the chief minister, and departments like irrigation, rural development, panchayati raj, agriculture, social welfare, institutional finance, animal husbandry and health have been asked to execute special schemes to mitigate the problems being faced by farmers in these areas, said a government official.