VIJAYAWADA: In a major relief-oriented intervention for the farming community, the State government has declared early drought across 388 mandals in 21 districts for the South-West Monsoon Kharif 2026 season. A Government Order was issued to this effect.
The decision comes on the back of a sharp 53.4 per cent rainfall deficit recorded between June and August 2026, compounded by prevailing El Niño conditions.
While drought declarations are typically notified by October 31 under national guidelines, the state government advanced the notification to immediately initiate relief measures and facilitate institutional credit support for affected agricultural households.
Out of the 388 notified mandals, 283 have been categorised under ‘Severe Drought’ while 105 mandals have been classified as experiencing ‘Moderate Drought’. The drought footprint is most severe across the Rayalaseema region and southern districts.
Sri Satya Sai district leads the tally with 28 severe and 1 moderate mandal, followed by Anantapur with 27 severe and 1 moderate mandal, Nandyal with 26 severe and 2 moderate mandals, Annamayya with 25 severe mandals, and Chittoor with 24 severe mandals.
In Coastal Andhra, Anakapalle (22 severe), Markapuram (19 severe), Bapatla (15 severe), Palnadu (18 severe, 10 moderate), and Prakasam (18 severe, 10 moderate) have registered extensive agrarian distress.
The severe moisture stress severely hampered early Kharif sowings and crop development, prompting District Collectors to submit emergency drought assessment proposals. The government’s decision followed a rigorous three-tier evaluation mechanism mandated by the Union Government’s Manual for Drought Management, 2016.
Initial mandatory triggers of rainfall deviation and dry spells were cross-analysed with secondary impact indicators, including the Sown Area Index, Remote Sensing Vegetation Condition Index from the Andhra Pradesh Space Applications Centre (APSAC), Moisture Adequacy Index from ANGRAU, and Hydrology Indices tracking reservoir storage and groundwater levels.
Following field-level ground-truthing reports from District Collectors, a high-level Committee on Drought scrutinised and approved the final list during a virtual meeting on September 30.
Special Chief Secretary to Government (FAC) G Sai Prasad instructed all 21 District Collectors to immediately publish the notification in their respective District Gazettes in both English and Telugu.
The gazette notifications will legally enable affected farmers to access emergency credit facilities, seek restructuring of agricultural loans, and receive input subsidies and calamity relief assistance through state and central disaster response funds.