State to ask the Center for help in overcoming the crisis caused by El Nino

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy briefed reporters along with ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Lakshman Kumar and Jupally Krishna Rao after the cabinet meeting on Friday.

The ministers-in-charge have been asked to invite representatives of the public across political lines, agriculture and weather scientists to prepare a detailed report on the situation in the respective districts. The report will be used to finalize the course of action that should be taken in the coming days if the situation continues.

“Irrigation and power supply will be top priority. Funds will not be a constraint in this regard,” Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy told reporters, along with ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Lakshman Kumar and Juplally Krishna Rao. The government has decided to engage the services of scientific institutions like ICRISAT to suggest a way forward, and State Planning Board Vice-Chairman G. Chinna Reddy has been tasked with coordinating the proceedings.

Meanwhile, an awareness campaign to educate farmers about less water-intensive crops would be intensified. The Department of Agriculture has already suggested alternative crops that could be adopted in the districts and steps have been taken to place the required quantity of seeds related to these alternatives. “Farmers should make decisions in accordance with the suggestions of scientists and experts so that they do not suffer losses after sowing crops,” the minister said.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 22:05 IST