Telangana Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said drought conditions affect 315 out of 621 mandals in the state. He asked the Centre for urgent relief measures, including more work for farmworkers and water conservation projects. The state also started the ‘khet bachao abhiyan’ from October 22 to 30 to help local farmers.
HYDERABAD
Drought conditions are prevailing across 315 out of 621 mandals in the Telangana and different sections are awaiting relief measures from the Centre, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao has said. He has requested the Centre to provide wage employment work to farmworkers and water conservation works widely under the VB-G RAM G programme.
The Minister stated that the ‘khet bachao abhiyan’ would be implemented in the State from October 22 to 30 with the national agricultural institutions and universities. During a virtual meeting chaired by the Union Agriculture Minister, he sought additional budgetary allocation for micro irrigation implements and inter-cropping seed.
Reiterating the request for 100% procurement of maize, jowar and other major crops, Mr. Rao suggested lifting of the 25% cap on the procurement of such crops under the minimum support price-price support scheme operations. He further wanted the Centre to rationalise the prices of fertilizers and subsidies.