MP demands Central fund for drought-hit Telangana

Highlights the plight of farmers of both Telugu States in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Drought prevailing in Telangana drew the attention of the Lok Sabha, with MP Bheem Rao B Patil of Zaheerabad taking up the same during a debate on the subject here on Wednesday.

Patil said 231 mandals out of 438 in Telangana were drought-hit due to poor monsoons. Acute scarcity of water had increased the misery of the people.

Drinking water was scarce and all wells dried up and the regular tanks too had dried up. Food for people as well fodder for cattle were scarce in rural areas, he added.

Insufficient market supply had pushed up prices of grains taking the same beyond the reach of the poor people. Landless labour and other persons from economically backward sections of the society and tribals who depended on the forest produce for their livelihood were suffering untold misery, the MP said.

Due to insufficient rainfall and dry spells, an extent of 12.23 lakh hectares of cropped area had been damaged where the yields were reduced by more than 33 per cent of normal yields, he said adding that out of 12.23 lakh hectares, 11.06 lakh hectares belonged to small and marginal farmers and the remaining belonged to the other farmers.

While production loss was at 12.48 lakh metric tonnes, financially it meant a loss of Rs 2,123 crore and the number of farmers affected is 21.91 lakh. He demanded that the government take a liberal view of the drought conditions in the State and come up with adequate assistance to Telangana.