HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet has decided to send a delegation of Ministers to Delhi to meet Union Ministers and submit a comprehensive report on the drought-like situation prevailing in 235 mandals due to deficient rainfall attributed to El Nino conditions.
The Cabinet also requested the Union government to declare the affected mandals as drought-hit and provide financial assistance to the state to take up relief measures.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday, discussed the deficient rainfall and its impact on agriculture and power consumption.
Briefing the media later, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said the rainy season ended on Wednesday and the state recorded a 17% rainfall deficit.
“The drought-like situation prevailed in 235 mandals. The Cabinet discussed the immediate steps to be taken in the drought-hit mandals. We will soon convene an all-party meeting and seek the views of all leaders. Later, an emergency Cabinet meeting will be held. The government will also hold meetings with farmers’ organisations and agriculture experts,” he said.
The Cabinet noted that power consumption had increased due to the El Nino conditions. Against the normal daily consumption of 15,000 MW, demand has risen to 19,892 MW. The peak demand this year was 19,892 MW, compared with 16,613 MW last year.
Cabinet okays 7,800 MW power projects
The Cabinet decided to focus on meeting the rising demand and ensuring uninterrupted and quality power supply to all sectors. Accordingly, it approved the setting up of power projects with a combined capacity of 7,800 MW, comprising 3,000 MW of solar power, 4,000 MW of battery energy storage systems and 800 MW of wind power. Bids will be invited in accordance with guidelines issued by the Union government, Srinivasa Reddy said.
The state government also decided to release two pending dearness allowance (DA) instalments to government employees, pending since 2024. The arrears will be paid in instalments, imposing a burden of Rs 2,500 crore on the exchequer.
The Cabinet decided to open Kharif paddy procurement centres. The Civil Supplies department has estimated that around 65 lakh tonnes of paddy will have to be procured.
It also decided to expedite work on the World Class Integrated Fruit Market at Koheda in Abdullapurmet mandal of Rangareddy district. The Cabinet approved canal works under the Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthy Irrigation Scheme to provide irrigation to around 15,000 acres.
It also cancelled around 10 irrigation works awarded under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) system in 2006 and 2007. Some of the projects remained incomplete and the contractors approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Fresh tenders will now be invited for the incomplete works.
The Cabinet further decided to adopt the National Digital Advertisement Policy prepared by the Central Bureau of Communication.
It sanctioned a Deputy Commissioner post in the office of the Resident Commissioner at Telangana Bhavan in Delhi. Four Group-I officers will also be posted at Telangana Bhavan to coordinate with the Union government on pending fund releases to the State.
Issues relating to pending applications under Section 22-A of the Registration Act will be placed before the next Cabinet meeting, Srinivasa Reddy said.
