Raipur, Aug 28 - Chhattisgarh Friday declared 66 out of the state's 146 blocks drought-hit.

The blocks, spread over 12 districts, were declared drought-hit due to insufficient rainfall, an official statement said.

Chief Minister Raman Singh has instructed the panchayats or village councils and the rural development department to step up relief measures in these areas and create more jobs under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Most of the drought-hit blocks are paddy cultivation areas and the agriculture department estimates that the state would miss its targeted production of 6.55 million tonnes. The state had produced 5.7 million tonnes of paddy in 2008.