Hyderabad: The TS government has asked the Centre to sanction at least Rs 1,000 crore towards drought relief. Though the state government had sought Rs 3,064 crore, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 791 crore and released Rs 55 crore till date, Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali told the Legislative Council here on Monday.
However, the Opposition Congress and other parties grilled the government for tardy relief operations and demanded that all 438 mandals in the state be declared drought-hit instead of the 231 mandals, and also declare an ‘agriculture emergency’, utilise the legislators’ constituency development funds for digging of borewells and take up other relief operations.
“We sought Rs 3,064 crore towards drought relief but the Centre announced a Rs 791 crore assistance and released Rs 55 crore. A drought assessment team met me and disclosed that Rs 791 crore was released. We sought sanction of at least Rs 1,000 crore,” the Deputy CM told the council.
As many as 22 mandals were declared drought hit in Nalgonda, 46 in Medak, 64 in Mahbubnagar, 36 in Nizamabad, 33 in Ranga Reddy 33, 19 in Karimnagar and 11 in Warangal districts. No mandal has been declared drought-hit in Adilabad, Khammam and Hyderabad.
“Government sanctioned Rs 49 crore for urgent drinking water needs of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts besides taking up other measures,” Mr Mahmood Ali added.
Leader of Opposition Mohd Ali Shabbir accused the government of doing too little to take the severe drought in the state and of failing to send a report to the Centre on the severity of drought. “Instead of blaming us for everything, the government should take up relief work on war footing,” he said.
TRS MLC Karne Prabhakar hit back, blaming the Opposition Congress and TD for the present drought conditions. “Congress ruled the undivided state for 40 years and the TD for 17 years. They destroyed forests, neglected water tanks, failed to utilise 1,250 tmc feet of Godavari and Krishna waters etc,” Mr Prabhakar alleged.
