Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday urged the Centre to provide assistance to the state to mitigate the impact of El Niño conditions on agriculture, water availability and electricity demand.
Reddy made the request during a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was in Hyderabad to attend the South Zone Agriculture Conference organised by the Union Agriculture Ministry.
The chief minister briefed Chouhan on the drought-like conditions prevailing in parts of Telangana and the challenges posed by the El Niño phenomenon.
State Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju and other senior officials were present during the meeting.
Rising Irrigation and Power Demand
Reddy told the Union minister that the prevailing conditions had increased farmers’ dependence on irrigation, resulting in higher electricity consumption in the agriculture sector.
He said the state government had already drawn up contingency plans to prevent shortages of drinking water and electricity in the event of prolonged El Niño-related conditions.
However, Reddy sought the Centre’s support in implementing these measures and addressing the challenges faced by the state.
Focus on Fine Rice and Crop Diversification
The chief minister also highlighted Telangana’s efforts to provide fine-quality rice to economically weaker sections through the public distribution system, describing the initiative as distinctive.
He said the state was encouraging farmers to grow fine varieties of paddy by offering a bonus of ₹500 per quintal.
In view of the prevailing El Niño conditions, Reddy said the government was also encouraging farmers to diversify their crops to reduce dependence on water-intensive cultivation.
He urged the Centre to support Telangana in promoting crop diversification and crop rotation as part of efforts to improve agricultural resilience.
South Zone Agriculture Conference
The South Zone Agriculture Conference in Hyderabad focused on a range of issues concerning the agricultural sector, including digital agriculture and the creation of farmer registries.
Discussions also covered high-value horticulture and value addition, achieving greater self-reliance in edible oils and pulses, promotion of natural farming, balanced use of fertilisers and measures to prevent the circulation of spurious pesticides and fertilisers.
Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, along with agriculture ministers and senior officials from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Lakshadweep, attended the conference.
