Hyderabad: The TS government is all set to declare the list of drought-hit mandals in a day or two. Officials identified 210 mandals in all the districts in the state, barring Hyderabad, which recorded deficit rainfall and where crops were badly damaged during the kharif season (June-September 2015).
Incidentally, this is for the first time that drought-hit mandals are being declared in TS.
The list has been sent to the CMO where Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to approve it on Monday. It will be then sent to the Centre, seeking special financial assistance to drought-hit mandals.
“The CM is expected to approve the list in a day or two after holding meetings with ministers and officials,” said state agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy.
Though several mandals faced severe drought during the last kharif in 2014, the government avoided declaring a drought after Mr Rao said that hardly any substantial help could be expected from the Centre once drought is declared. He had said that central teams would take months touring mandals to assess the situation.
Though the Opposition raised a hue and cry over the issue, the government ignored it.
However, farmer suicide being reported for the past few months, changed the government’s mind.
2 TS farmers end life
Two more farmers committed suicide in TS on Sunday due to crop failure and indebtedness. In Adilabad district, Mengani Rayamallu, 40, of Kadem mandal hanged himself from a tree. He suffered financial losses after his crop on six acres withered due to drought.
According to his family members, he had a debt burden of over Rs 5 lakh and was worried over repayment of loans.
In another incident, Gundeboyina Yadaiah, 40, of Marriguda mandal in Nalgonda district, committed suicide by consuming pesticide.
According to his family members, Yadaiah sowed cotton crop in 10 acres which was damaged due to drought. He took loans of over Rs 12 lakh for the purpose.
