New Delhi, May 2 (IANS): Over 54 crore people living in 13 states in India are in the grip of drought, but official figures fail to recognise those affected even after over six months of drought, activist Yogendra Yadav said on Sunday.

Yadav said that despite the water crisis, not a single village in Bihar and Haryana has been declared drought-affected.

"The government informed the Supreme Court that some 36.6 crore people were affected by the drought. But on counting the unlisted regions, over 54 crore people were found affected by it," Yadav said at the National Consultation on Drought held by CSE and Swaraj Abhiyan.

"Drought has been there for more than six months, but it was only noticed after drinking water crisis struck some urban centres and a high profile petition effected cricket. Drought is not just a drinking water crisis in some urban centres," Yadav said.

Many areas in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh have been hit by drought since the last 19 months.

To a query from IANS, Yadav said that even after a supportive monsoon this year, it would take at least till October-November to resolve the food crisis in drought-hit regions like Bundelkhand and Marathwada.