Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Rs. 810 cr. Central aid sought

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD AUG. 1. The Andhra Pradesh Government is to seek Central assistance of Rs. 810.90 crores and 15 lakh tonnes of rice `for the time being' to tackle the prevailing drought situation caused by a severe rainfall deficit.

A meeting of the Cabinet presided over by the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday declared 836 mandals `drought-hit' and decided to instruct officials to stop forcible recovery of cooperative loans but to accept repayments made voluntarily.

The Cabinet did not discuss the question of deferment of electricity dues or waiver of students' school or college fees but resolved to meet periodically to review the rainfall situation, coverage of crops and damage caused to the sown crops.

Briefing reporters, the Information Minister, S. Chandramohan Reddy, said the Government would be sending a memorandum to the Centre seeking Rs. 350 crores for drinking water supply, Rs. 100 crores each for agricultural seed subsidy and employment generation programme, Rs.60.90 crores for fodder seed, Rs. 190 crores for social security and Rs. 10 crores for public health apart from 15 lakh tonnes of rice for August, September and October.

The Minister said the Government had already released a sum of Rs. 159.55 crores from its own funds towards drinking water supply (Rs. 70.80 crores), agricultural input subsidy (Rs. 83.75 crores) and cattle fodder (Rs. 5 crores).

A review of the situation revealed that the average rainfall in the drought-hit mandals was 161 mm till July 31, a little over half the normal rainfall of 297 mm. Among the remaining mandals, 195 received normal rainfall while 109 were located in various irrigation commands. Region-wise, the highest number of mandals declared drought-hit are in Telangana (375) followed by Coastal Andhra (290) and Rayalaseema (171).

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