Telangana unveils Rs 803 Crore El Niño Action Plan

metro india news  I hyderabad

The State Level Expert Committee on El Niño, chaired by Dr. G. Chinna Reddy, on Thursday submitted a comprehensive action plan to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to mitigate the impact of El Niño-induced drought conditions and safeguard Telangana's agriculture and allied sectors. The report was presented at the MCRHRD Bodhi Centre in the presence of Agriculture Department Secretary Surendra Mohan, Agriculture Director Gopi, and senior officials.

Addressing the media, Dr. Chinna Reddy said the committee had prepared an integrated strategy after assessing the challenges posed by below-normal rainfall and consulting experts from agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, irrigation, rural development, research institutions, and agricultural universities. The proposed action plan is estimated to require Rs 802.92 crore for implementation.

The committee observed that Telangana has received only 234.80 mm of rainfall against the normal 740.60 mm up to July 27, reflecting a rainfall deficit of nearly 30 percent. Most districts are experiencing drought like conditions, accompanied by declining reservoir storage and falling groundwater levels.

The report recommends a shift from water intensive crops to climate resilient alternatives such as red gram, green gram, black gram, maize, sorghum, bajra, millets, oilseeds, vegetables, and fodder crops. It also proposes providing quality seeds for alternative crops with up to 75 percent subsidy and promoting village specific crop planning based on local water availability.

To improve water use efficiency, the committee suggested restricting paddy cultivation according to water availability while encouraging micro irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation. It also recommended large scale adoption of water conservation practices, including farm ponds, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, mulching, and scientific land management techniques.

The report places significant emphasis on expanding horticulture through fruit orchards, vegetables, oil palm, and sericulture, supported by subsidies for drip irrigation, shade net houses, permanent structures, and rainwater conservation.

To protect the livestock sector, the committee recommended establishing district level fodder banks, expanding fodder cultivation, promoting silage and hay production, distributing fodder seeds, ensuring drinking water for livestock, and setting up cattle camps wherever necessary.

The action plan also calls for strengthening rural employment through MGNREGS by undertaking water conservation works such as check dams, desilting of tanks, farm ponds, and groundwater recharge structures. It recommends prioritising drinking water supply under Mission Bhagiratha, promoting organic farming and biofertilisers, providing continuous weather based advisories to farmers, and creating monitoring mechanisms at the district, mandal, and village levels. The committee expressed confidence that timely implementation of the recommendations would strengthen climate resilience, protect farmers' livelihoods, ensure drinking water and fodder security, and stabilise Telangana's agricultural economy despite the challenges posed by El Niño.

Revanth prioritises climate-resilient farming

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday directed officials to prioritise vegetable cultivation, organic farming and climate-resilient agriculture after receiving the State Level Expert Committee's report on El Niño's impact on Telangana. He said the government would provide subsidised vegetable seeds and promote cultivation around centralised kitchens supplying breakfast and midday meals in government schools. 

The Chief Minister also asked the Agriculture Department to deploy extension officers to educate farmers on organic farming and develop systems for direct procurement to ensure better returns. The expert committee recommended promoting pulses, oilseeds, millets and vegetables through village-specific plans, supplying seeds with a 75% subsidy, extending crop loans, expanding drip and sprinkler irrigation with subsidies, promoting fodder cultivation, ensuring uninterrupted power for irrigation and strengthening scientific advisory services. Revanth directed officials to implement suitable recommendations to safeguard farmers' livelihoods.