§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian impact of the drought affecting the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. [125018]
§ Clare ShortA team from my Department has recently returned from India where they made a humanitarian assessment of the impact of the drought and the likely needs of the population. The team found Rajasthan and Gujarat to be among the three states in India worst affected by the drought. The principal humanitarian impacts of the drought include a significant reduction in household income; an increase in temporary migration; death of livestock; weakening of remaining herds; and health problems associated with scarcity of water and reduced food intake.
The Government of India have launched a large-scale drought relief effort which appears to be reaching a significant proportion of the affected population. United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations are also active in providing humanitarian assistance to those suffering as a result of the drought.
We have committed nearly £3 million for relief projects in response to the drought regionally, including Pakistan and Afghanistan which are also badly affected. £500,000 304W of this support is being channelled through Oxfam for their relief programme in Rajasthan and Gujarat. We are considering what further assistance to provide.