HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu apprised inter-ministerial Central team (IMCT) about the impact and the measures being taken by the state government to provide relief in the drought-affected areas of the state.
He sought Rs 1,532 crore from the Centre for taking up drought relief works in the drought-hit areas of Rayalaseema.
The Central team headed by joint secretary, ministry of agriculture Shakil Ahammed, which had visited Ananthapuramu, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts recently in the backdrop of the sixth consecutive drought year, met the chief minister here on Friday night.
During the meeting, besides explaining the Central team about the drought conditions prevailing in the state, the chief minister requested the Central team to submit a favourable report to the state government to make it get ample funds from the Centre to undertake relief measure in the drought-hit areas.
Earlier in the day, the Central team members also called on the chief secretary IYR Krishna Rao at the Secretariat here.
Officials of agriculture, horticulture, rural water supply, urban water supply, animal husbandry, MGNREGS, women and child welfare department gave power-point presentation and department-wise drought conditions and on the vulnerability of AP, to the Central team during the meeting.
Ananthapuram, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Prakasam districts of the State had been included in the list of districts chronically affected by drought as per the ministry of agriculture manual of drought management, the officials informed the team members.
The state officials informed the team that the state recorded 32 per cent deficit rainfall in 2014-15. About 4,020 villages in 238 mandals had been declared as drought-affected in 2014-15 in view of more than 50 per cent reduction in crop yield of predominant crops in seven districts- Ananthapuram, Kadpa, Prakasam, Chittoor, Kurnool, Nellore and Guntur districts.
The chief secretary informed the Central team that the state government is taking long term measures of drought proofing in terms of its schemes of Neeru-Chettu, drip irrigation, supply of water through major projects like Galeru-Nagari, Handri Neeva Lift Irrigation schemes as a long term permanent solution to the drought conditions in Rayalaseema area.He requested the members of the committee to make their report realistical keeping in view of the severity of the drought situation in these areas.
Earlier, the officials gave details of crop damages district-wise and impact of drought on major crops during Kharif-2014 assessed by the concerned departments to the team.
The officials sought relief for small, marginal and other farmers as per the state norms and as per the NDRF Norms. They also sought district wise-funds required to mitigate the drinking water problem, amount required for organizing cattle camps in the drought affected mandals. The government has decided to allow dry seasonal allowance on unskilled wage tasks under MGNREGS works, the officials informed the team.