Telangana to launch spl employment scheme after Sankranti amid drought: CM Revanth Reddy
Hyderabad, Oct 23 (TNT): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday evening warned that drought conditions could persist for the next eight to ten months, with water storage in major irrigation projects falling below 20 per cent of their capacity.
He announced a special employment scheme for four months from after Sankranti until May to provide relief to poor workers.
Addressing a meeting of Congress leaders, MPs, MLAs and MLCs at Praja Bhavan here, the CM appealed to farmers to cultivate dry crops and vegetables in view of the declining availability of water and stressed that drinking water supply would be the government’s top priority.
He said the state had only about 200 TMC of water available in its projects, with some reservoirs reaching dead storage levels.
Of the nearly 30 lakh agricultural pump sets, about 15 lakh had already dried up, he said, warning that irrigation would be severely affected under the prevailing conditions.
Revanth Reddy directed officials to closely monitor drinking water supply and said a toll-free number would be introduced to address public grievances.
He also asked Congress leaders and public representatives to create awareness about drought conditions through Rythu Vedikas across the state.
Under the proposed special employment scheme, the state government would supplement Central funds with its own resources to provide work to labourers for four months.
The programme would focus on restoring access roads to agricultural fields, desilting canals and ponds, and reviving small water bodies. A special mobile application would be used to monitor implementation, he said.
The government would also establish special centres in villages to provide fodder and drinking water to cattle and create additional workdays under the employment guarantee scheme, he said.
Cultural troupes would be deployed to educate and motivate farmers, while a help desk would be established at Gandhi Bhavan under the leadership of MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, he said.
The Chief Minister said the government had constituted a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and appointed K Ramakrishna Rao as special officer to coordinate measures relating to El Niño and counter misinformation.
TNT TS
