Telangana govt seeks Central aid for El Nino contingency plans
Hyderabad, July 17
With Telangana facing a rainfall deficit of about 40 per cent due to the impact of El Niño, the State government has decided to request the Centre to send special teams to assess the situation and provide necessary financial assistance for implementing contingency plans.
The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy here on Friday.
Minister for Revenue, Information & Public Relations Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy told media persons that the Cabinet decided to write to the Central government regarding the prevailing rainfall deficit and the impact of El Niño in the state.
The letter will comprehensively detail the impact on crop cultivation and allied agricultural sectors, challenges related to drinking and irrigation water, and the plight of agricultural labourers.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed officials to immediately prepare alternative action plans concerning drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, and power supply.
He instructed all departments to be prepared with proactive measures, given the Meteorological Department's warnings that the situation could worsen in the coming days.
The Cabinet decided that District Collectors must remain vigilant to prevent any drinking water shortages, take appropriate measures, and respond promptly to public grievances.
It was decided to ensure an uninterrupted power supply without any load shedding. Officials were directed to make arrangements for both power generation and procurement to meet this requirement.
The Cabinet also decided to prioritise the allocation of available water from all projects for drinking water needs.
The Cabinet appealed to farmers to avoid cultivating water‑intensive crops and instead opt for low‑water‑intensity crops. It decided to conduct awareness seminars and meetings across the state regarding the impact of El Niño.
It directed that the public be widely informed about the prevailing rainfall deficit, available water resources, and the precautions farmers need to take.
The Cabinet directed that a special report on the impact of El Niño on the agricultural sector be prepared by agricultural experts and scientists under the leadership of State Planning Board Vice‑Chairman Chinna Reddy.
It requested a report covering crops suitable for current conditions, precautions for farmers, and measures for the care of livestock alongside crops.
The Cabinet decided to hold emergency review meetings to assess ground‑level conditions in all districts and determine immediate actions. It resolved to conduct special review meetings on Monday (July 20) for each combined district, led by the respective district ministers and involving local public representatives and officials. It was decided to assign these responsibilities to a senior IAS officer alongside the in‑charge minister for each district.
The State Cabinet resolved that all departments must be prepared to navigate this natural challenge, continuously review the situation, and coordinate to overcome the crisis caused by the rainfall deficit.
The State Cabinet also approved the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into irregularities and malpractices related to land records and land transactions conducted through the Dharani portal during the BRS rule.
The Dharani portal came into effect on October 29, 2020. The Cabinet has decided to conduct an in‑depth examination of all suspicious transactions that have taken place in the state since then, including land registrations, record alterations, and the transfer of agricultural, assigned, and government lands.
The government has already identified over 10,000 suspicious transactions through a forensic audit. Consequently, the Cabinet decided to conduct a comprehensive review of digital records, login details, record modifications, official approvals, changes in land classification, and beneficiary details related to these land transactions.
The Cabinet also decided to investigate the role of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), which managed the Dharani portal, as well as issues related to the selection of the operating agency, the tender process, contract allocation, portal design, system architecture, and data security flaws.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good intentions, but I hope the awareness seminars reach the actual farmers in villages, not just be a city-centric exercise. Also, the decision to prioritize drinking water is sensible. But what about the livestock? Glad they included that in the report request. 👍
Revanth Reddy seems to be on the ball. But let's be real – Will the Centre actually send special teams? Or will it get delayed in bureaucratic red tape? Meanwhile, farmers will suffer. Also, that Dharani portal SIT is long overdue. So many irregularities during BRS rule. Let's see if they actually deliver justice.
As a farmer from Karimnagar, I can tell you the situation is bad. Groundwater levels are already low. The government's appeal to avoid water-intensive crops is sensible, but who will compensate for the loss of income if we change crops mid-season? Hope the contingency plans include direct financial support for small farmers.
Glad to see the focus on drinking water and power supply – these are basics. But load shedding free guarantee? Let's see if that holds. Also, the Dharani portal investigation is a must. So many people lost their lands due to fake registrations. Hope the SIT is truly independent and not just a political tool.
One thing I don't understand – why wait for the Centre to assess? The state has its own agricultural universities and experts. They should prepare a detailed action plan immediately and start implementing. Every day of delay means more crop loss. 😔 The emergency review meetings are a good step, but action needs to be faster.
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