The state government has sanctioned Rs 63 crore to Panchayat and Rural Development Department to undertake employment-oriented works in 38 districts, which have been affected by drought in the wake of scanty rainfall during 2009-10. Out of these funds, Rs 40 crore has been allocated by the office of Relief Commissioner to Panchayat and Rural Development Department as first instalment. The allocated funds will be utilised for only undertaking employment-oriented works in the drought-affected districts. The office of the Relief Commissioner has also released the final list of districts declared drought-affected during the year 2009-10. Districts declared as drought-affected are Rewa, Sagar, Bhind, Satna, Panna, Morena, Sidhi, Tikamgarh, Sheopur Kalan, Singrauli, Chhatarpur, Shajapur, Shahdol, Raisen, Dewas, Anuppur, Vidisha, Ratlam, Umaria, Damoh, Khandwa, Dindori, Sehori, Burhanpur, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Barwani, Katni, Guna, Jhabua, Balaghat, Ashok Nagar, Alirajpur, Narsinghpur, Shivpuri, Rajgarh, Mandla and Datia. It has been mentioned in the allotment order that works should be undertaken with the help of these funds only when employment under Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and other schemes is not available. In such works, the ratio of labour will be 75 per cent. Only those families will be provided employment with the help of these funds who need employment even after getting 100 days' employment under Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It has also been instructed that the financial records of the works undertaken utilising these funds should be maintained in legible writing and in separate registers. The second instalment of the allocated funds will be released to Panchayats and Rural Development Department only after utilisation of at least Rs 30 crore of the amount of the first instalment. It has been instructed that the allocated funds should be utilised under standing orders issued about tackling such crises as drought and shortage of drinking water and as per norms of Contingency Relief Fund.