CM Revanth Seeks Centre’s Support to Tackle El Niño Impact in Telangana

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has sought the Centre’s support to help the state tackle El Niño-induced rainfall deficiency, which has affected agriculture and increased pressure on water and power resources.

Revanth Reddy met Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Hyderabad on Friday, when the latter was in the city to attend the Southern States Agriculture Conference. The Chief Minister briefed him on the prevailing conditions and submitted a memorandum seeking necessary assistance from the Centre.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju were among those present during the meeting.

Revanth Reddy said inadequate rainfall had led to a significant rise in agricultural power consumption as farmers increasingly depended on irrigation. He said the state government had made advance arrangements to ensure that drinking water and electricity supplies were not disrupted.

The Chief Minister said Telangana was encouraging farmers to adopt alternative crops and crop diversification in response to the changing weather conditions. He sought the Centre’s cooperation in promoting such cultivation. He also informed Chouhan about plans to establish an international-standard fruits and vegetables market on 250 acres, aimed at supporting alternative crops and providing better market opportunities for farmers.

Revanth Reddy thanked Chouhan for allocating 2 lakh houses to Telangana in the first phase under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

He recalled that he had met the Union Minister in Delhi in July and submitted a memorandum seeking houses for 11,56,915 eligible rural families in Telangana. He requested the Centre to allocate the remaining 9.56 lakh houses to meet the demand among eligible families.

The Chief Minister also highlighted Telangana’s food security initiatives, saying the state was supplying fine rice through ration shops to the poor. He said farmers cultivating fine varieties of paddy were being encouraged through a ₹500-per-quintal bonus, aimed at promoting the crop and supporting farm incomes.