Central team inspects drought-hit mandals in Annamayya district- NSP NEWS

District Collector Sridhar Chamakuri addressing a review meeting along with the Central team on drought assessment, at Madanapalle in Annamayya district on Wednesday.

A team from the Central government, headed by Supriya Malik from the Ministry of Finance, visited the drought-affected mandals in Annamyya district to evaluate the situation and suggest relief measures, on Wednesday.

The team toured B. Kothakota, Valmikipuram, Madanapalle, Tamballapalle, and other mandals, engaging with local farmers and district officials to assess the extent of damage caused by the extreme drought.

District Collector Sridhar Chamakuri highligted the critical need for assistance from the Central government, pointing to significant rainfall deficits during the kharif season. “The district faced low rainfall from June to September 2024, resulting in widespread crop failures and shortages of fodder,” he said during a review meeting at the Madanapalle Sub-Collector’s office.

In October, the Andhra Pradesh government declared 19 out of 30 mandals in the district as drought-affected. Farmers reported substantial losses, especially those growing groundnut and millet crops, and voiced concerns regarding the lack of fodder for their livestock. Some farmers urged the government to reinstate fodder distribution initiatives to lessen the effects.

During their site visit, the Central team suggested leveraging State and Central government programmes to tackle the fodder shortage and enhance the conditions of livestock farmers. The team also noticed that several families had migrated from drought-hit areas, leading the district administration to increase efforts under schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.

During his presentation to the Central team, the Collector highlighted the need for financial assistance of ₹11 crore according to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) guidelines for the affected regions. “We have compiled reports on crop losses at both village and mandal levels, illustrating the severe impact on farmers and families reliant on livestock. To address water shortages, private tankers have been deployed in the most affected areas,” he added.

The Central team, along with district officials, engaged in detailed discussions about the drought’s effects with representatives from departments such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, Rural Water Supply, and District Water management Agency (DWAMA). District officials shared their respective reports, emphasising the urgent need for aids.

Joint Collector Adarsh Rajendran and Madanapalle Sub-Collector Megha Swaroop also took part in the discussions.