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Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
The Andhra Pradesh government is seeking liberal assistance from the central government for tackling the serious drought situation in the state.
The state government has also earmarked Rs 1.4 billion from the funds of various departments to take up drought relief works, mitigate the drinking water scarcity and provide employment opportunities to the farm labour.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who held a detailed review meeting on the drought situation in the state on Thursday evening said a comprehensive report is being sent to the Centre on the acute drought conditions.
Naidu admitted that almost one-third of the state was reeling under drought conditions.
In all, 911 mandals out of 1,094 in the state received less rainfall during the southwest monsoon from June 1 till now.
Several districts such as Prakasam, Cuddapah, Anantapur, Chittoor, Kurnool, Karimnagar, Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar recorded scanty rainfall.
Terming the situation as 'grim, alarming and frightening', Naidu said that drinking water scarcity was being felt in various districts in the state due to low groundwater levels and drying up of storage tanks and drinking water sources.
Fodder scarcity was also reported in Mahbubnagar and other districts.
Referring to the status of crops, he said that the standing crops of cotton and castor were withering and re-sowing would become necessary.
Naidu said that the agriculture department has prepared a contingency plan to help the affected farmers.
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