Telangana Cabinet Seeks Central Aid to Tackle Drought-Like Situation Caused by El Niño
Hyderabad, May 18 (TNT): The Telangana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, on Friday night decided to approach the Centre seeking financial assistance to tackle the drought-like situation caused by the El Niño phenomenon.
Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said the Cabinet also approved a series of key decisions, including the constitution of a Special Enquiry Team (SET) to probe alleged irregularities in the Dharani land records portal, reforms in engineering project management, and amendments to municipal and panchayat laws.
The Cabinet resolved to write to the Central Government detailing the impact of the estimated 40 per cent rainfall deficit on agriculture, allied sectors, drinking water, irrigation and the livelihoods of agricultural labourers, the minister said.
It will also request the Centre to depute a special team to assess the ground situation and provide financial assistance for implementing El Niño contingency plans.
Reviewing the prevailing drought conditions, the Chief Minister directed officials to prepare contingency plans for drinking water supply, irrigation, agriculture and the power sector in view of forecasts indicating that the situation could worsen in the coming days.
District Collectors have been instructed to ensure that no drinking water shortage arises anywhere in the state, remain vigilant and respond promptly to public grievances.
The Cabinet also directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply without load shedding by making adequate arrangements for power generation and procurement, said Ponguleti.
The government decided to prioritise water available in reservoirs for drinking water needs and appealed to farmers to avoid cultivating water-intensive crops, advising them instead to take up crops requiring less water.
To create awareness about the impact of El Niño, the Cabinet approved statewide awareness programmes and directed officials to disseminate information on drought conditions, available water resources and precautionary measures for farmers.
The Cabinet also entrusted State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Chinna Reddy with leading a team of agricultural experts and scientists to prepare a comprehensive report on the impact of El Niño on agriculture.
The report will recommend suitable crop patterns, precautions for farmers and measures for crop and livestock protection, he said.
Special review meetings will be held in all erstwhile districts on May 20 under the leadership of district ministers, assisted by senior IAS officers, to assess the ground situation and identify immediate interventions.
The Cabinet directed all government departments to remain on high alert and work in coordination to mitigate the impact of the natural calamity.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019, enabling the nomination of transgender persons as co-opted members in municipal corporations across the state.
It also approved amendments to the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, allowing Gram Panchayats to deposit their funds in nearby nationalised banks, cooperative banks or post offices instead of routing them through the Treasury.
TNT TS
