Mandal level committees to oversee El Niño mitigation measures in Telangana

The bed of Manjeera Project reservoir in Sangareddy district dried up on Tuesday (October 27, 2026). Telangana entrusts Mandal Coordination Committees with numerous responsibilities aimed at mitigating the impact of El Niño on water availability, agriculture and rural livelihoods. | Photo credit: MOHD ARIF

The Telangana government has ordered the formation of mandal coordination committees in all rural mandals to mitigate the impact of El Niño on water availability, agriculture, livestock and rural livelihoods. The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) issued a Government Order (GO) under the VB-G RAM G Act. io

According to the GO issued by Special Chief Secretary M. Dana Kishore, the committees will be chaired by MPDO with AEEs Panchayat Raj, Irrigation and Rural Supply (RWS), Mandal Agriculture Officer (MAO), Veterinary Officer, Horticulture Officer as members and Mandal Panchayat Officer (MPO) as convener.

Livestock protection is one of the agendas of Telangana, which is setting up coordination committees to mitigate the impact of El Niño. File | Photo credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Responsibilities

They will be responsible for effective planning, coordination and monitoring of eligible works while ensuring wage employment, monitoring man-days and timely payment of wages, identification of 35,959 Minor Irrigation (MI) tanks for community fodder development through SHGs/Village Organizations and individual farmers with bore wells. Duties include the construction and repair of livestock troughs for drinking water for livestock, arrangements for securing drinking water in coordination with RWS, livelihoods such as sheds for cattle, goats and sheep.

The committees must also ensure implementation of water conservation works including development of MI reservoirs, feeder canals, farm ponds, magic seepage pits, borehole recharge structures, roof-top rainwater harvesting and check dams and basic rural infrastructure like roads, culverts, Gram Panchayat (GP) buildings and Anganwadi buildings. Besides, they have to ensure convergence with allied departments, village level coordination, field inspections and information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns on water conservation through Kala Jathas under Samskruthika Saradhi.

The committees will meet weekly under the chairmanship of the MPDO, review the progress of the GP area and submit a weekly status report to the respective District Collectors, except Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts.

Published – 29 Oct 2026 12:49 IST