Ranchi, Oct 16 (IANS): The Congress unit of Jharkhand on Friday demanded immediate relief for farmers in the light of the state facing a drought-like situation.

A delegation of Jharkhand Congress, led by state president Sukhdeo Bhagat, met Governor Drupadi Murmu on Friday and apprised the governor about the drought and crops damaged due to scanty rain.

The delegation handed over a memorandum to the governor, which read: "The state is facing drought-like situation of 1966-67. Over 12 districts of Jharkhand are worst-affected. The paddy crops have been badly damaged. One-third of the farming is done in the upper areas of the state.

"The state government has spent only Rs.108 crore against agriculture department's budget of Rs.866 crore in the current financial year," it added.

"The state government reviewed the scanty rain situation but is yet to declare the state as drought affected. It is yet to announce any relief measures to farmers. The farmers are on the receiving end as they are not getting any help from the state government," Congress leader Lal Kishore Nath Sahdeo, a member of the delegation meeting the governor, told IANS.

The state received 30 percent of the normal rainfall in August and around 15 percent in September, causing damage to crops. The Jharkhand government reviewed the situation and sent a report to the central government.

Only 12 percent of the cultivable land in the state is irrigated through the irrigation system. Due to its hilly terrain, water conveservation is also not done in the area.