Ranchi, Oct 26 (IANS): The Jharkhand government on Friday asked officials to assess the ground situation on the loss of crops due to a rain deficit this year.

"State Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathy has asked the officials to assess the ground situation and submit a report by October 31," an official statement said here.

Tripathy held a meeting with secretary rank officials of Agriculture, Social Welfare and Disaster Management departments to assess the situation.

"This year Jharkhand received 72 per cent of the average rainfall. But in Pakur and Koderma districts, it was less than 50 per cent," an official who was present at the meeting told IANS.

Places like Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Garhwa, Latehar, Dumka, Jamtara, Deoghar received more than 50 per cent but less than 75 per cent rainfall.

In Jharkhand, paddy sowing is done on 18 lakh hectares of land but this year sowing took place on 15.27 lakh hectares, the official said.

The average rainfall in the state is 1,027.7 mm. This year, Jharkhand received only 741.9 mm.

In August and September, the normal rainfall should be 276.2 and 235.5 mm respectively but the state received only 213.2 and 133.6 mm rainfall leading to damage to crops.