New Delhi, Aug 17 - Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Monday demanded Rs.2,000 crore from the central government to purchase power for the drought hit areas of the state.

Mayawati met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence here, though she skipped an internal security meeting attended by chief ministers.

'We are buying power at the rate of Rs.8 per unit to provide electricity to the drought-hit areas. The state has to bear the burden of around Rs.2,000 crore to facilitate the purchase of power from other states,' she said.

'The central government should pay us the Rs.2,000 crore to ease the burden,' she added.

'To tackle the grim situation in the drought hit areas, the state government has drafted some short and long-term policies.