Andhra Pradesh: Demand for drought tag to more mandals gets louder

Vijayawada: With deficit rainfall and prevailing drought conditions, the demand for declaring more number of mandals as drought-hit is getting loud.

As per the kharif-2023 season and crop coverage report up to October 18 released by commissioner of agriculture, the major agriculture operations in the state depend on southwest monsoon from June to September.

However, the state received 487.2 mm rainfall as against normal of 574.7 mm rainfall registering 15.2 per cent deficit. With regard to northeast monsoon, the state received 15.8 mm rainfall as against 296 mm season’s normal rainfall registering 87.2 per cent deficit rainfall. With this, the average rainfall received in the state from June 1 to October 18 was 503 mm as against normal 698.2 mm, registering 28 per cent deficit rainfall.

As per water quantity in various reservoirs

during kharif season, it was at 358.59 tmc ft as on October 18, while it was 804.88 tmc ft during the same time last year.

Due to deficit rainfall, the total area sown in the state is 24.98 lakh hectare as against normal 34.39 lakh hectare. Rabi crop coverage report says the state received 538.3 mm rainfall as against the normal of 787.1 mm registering 36.1 per cent deficit.

The water storage in all major reservoirs stands at 310.07 tmc ft as against 781.60 tmc ft last year. As a result of deficit rainfall, the total sown area came down to 1.93 lakh hectare as against the normal area of 22.38 lakh hectare.

However, the state government issued orders on October 31 declaring 103 mandals, including 80 mandals as ‘severe drought-affected’ and 23 mandals as ‘moderate drought-affected’ in the state.

When Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review with officials on agricultural sector, he directed the officials to ensure that MSP be paid to the farmers on procurement of paddy and other agricultural produce. He asked the officials to procure millets also to be used in food processing industries.

CPI is planning a 30-hour fast on November 20 and 21 in protest against government declaring 103 mandals as drought-hit while 440 mandals were facing drought conditions.

Party state secretary K Ramakrishna demanded the Chief Minister to write to Central government on prevailing drought conditions in the state.