Hyderabad, October 9 (Daily Kiran) : Telangana’s Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to convene a critical meeting on October 12 to discuss the impact of El Niño and the ongoing drought situation in the state. The meeting will focus on areas experiencing below-average rainfall, the challenges faced by farmers, and immediate government actions to alleviate the crisis.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, discussions will cover agriculture, irrigation, drinking water supply, rising electricity demands, and urgent requirements. This follows an extensive discussion on rainfall conditions during a recent cabinet meeting.
The state has recorded 17 percent less rainfall than normal due to El Niño, resulting in drought-like conditions across approximately 235 mandals. The government has already passed a resolution in the assembly and has appealed to the central government for the declaration of drought-affected areas along with adequate financial assistance. A special package of ₹20,000 crore has been requested.
The upcoming meeting will also address relief measures for affected regions, plans developed by a ministerial subcommittee, a proposed all-party meeting, and recommendations from farmer organizations and experts from various sectors.
On October 6, officials reported that initial assessments indicate severe drought conditions in 320 mandals across 18 districts due to El Niño. Telangana consists of a total of 621 mandals across its 33 districts.
Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju has instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive report on the drought situation in the state. He emphasized the need to gather detailed information from various departments, including planning, revenue, groundwater, agriculture, panchayat raj, and rural water supply, to identify the affected mandals according to established guidelines.
Jaju advised that the report should consider 12 standard criteria, including rainfall during the southwest monsoon season from June to September. He has also directed officials to initiate the process of declaring drought-affected mandals based on government regulations and standards, aiming to complete a detailed report by the end of October.
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