Rain-starved AP not in drought-hit list

In spite of the arrival of monsoon in the state 232 mandals are still reeling under severe deficit of rainfall- between 20 and 59 percent. The rainfall deficit has affected over 10 lakh hectares of rain-fed cropland.

However, none of the districts in the state featured among the 400 districts in the country which were declared as drought-affected by the central government. The reason is simple enough_they do not fall under the parameters set by the Centre for declaring them as drought-affected. Only those districts having a rain deficit of more than 50 percent till July 15 qualified for the same. Rainfall deficit in Anantapur, the most rain-starved district in the state, measures only 47 percent.

Agriculture minister Kanna Lakshminarayana, reviewed the conditions prevailing in the agricultural sector with the officials concerned and directed them to prepare an interim report with comprehensive data on the existing situation, reasons for crop-failure in many parts and the effect of rainfall deficit on cropping pattern. He also wanted them to explain in the report about the low water levels in the Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Sriramsagar dams.

The report will be submitted to the central government.  “If needed, I will go to Delhi and take up the issue with the agriculture minister to see that AP gets the needed help,” Kanna said.  Later he directed principal secretary (agriculture) V Nagi Reddy to go to Delhi and explain the prevailing situation vis-a-vis agriculture and rainfall to the central government.

Officials were also asked to prepare a contingency plan for alternative crops that require less water and to publicise them among the rural folk, if the expected rains are not received by August 15.