Bandaru Talks About Telangana’s Drought In Lok Sabha

Former Union minister and BJP MP from Secunderabad Bandaru Dattatraya today urged the Union government to send a Central team to assess the drought situation in Telangana State and also to provide immediate relief to the farmers.

Participating in the discussion on drought in the Lok Sabha, Dattatreya, who represents Secunderabad in Parliament, sought additional 1000 MW power from the unallocated power to Telangana State to rescue the farm sector. “The farmers should be given additional loans on low interest rate and seed to cultivate alternative crops during this khariff season. Along with these temporary measures, the Centre should also take permanent measures for the benefit of the agriculture sector as Telangana is a drought prone State. Pranahita-Chevella Irrigation project should be declared as a national project immediately”, he added.

Dattatraya said there was drought like situation prevailing in Telangana due to the failure of monsoon. According the statistics of the State Met. department, rainfall in Telangana so far registered as 146.77 mm compared to  487 mm last year which shows 70 per cent deficit rainfall, he said, adding that almost all the districts of Telangana have very less rainfall and Nizamabad and Nalgonda  districts are the worst affected with the least rainfall of 36% of the normal. Out of the total 464 mandals in the Telangana State, as many as 426 mandals have either scanty or deficit rainfall. Rains during June and July are very crucial for the kharif crop inTelangana, he said.

With the failure of monsoon, the cultivation of crops has come down by an area of 10 lakh hectare, which itself indicates the alarming situation of the agriculture sector in Telangana. The food grains crop and pulses cultivation areas have been decreased by 29% and 41% respectively in the State. The ground nut crop is worst affected with a reduction of 89% of the cultivating area when compared to previous year’s cultivated area.

Dattatraya said though the target of Telangana State government for production of paddy during this khariff season is 1.05 crore tons, but actually the paddy is being grown in 10 lakh hectare due to water scarcity. Even the seed already sown was not sprouting due to the poor water supply to the fields. Farmers are repeating sowing in the hope that the situation may be improved with good rainfall, which is causing them additional financial burden.