Farmers in Adilabad are demanding declaration of drought in the district in view of the failure of last kharif season. Declaration of drought would help farmers get input subsidy as the Union government sanctions a major part of the requirement, according to Telangana Rashtra Samiti State secretary and farmer leader B. Goverdhan Reddy.
Citing example of Maharashtra government declaring drought in the neighbouring districts of Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli where crops were lost due to similar deficiency in rainfall, Mr. Reddy told The Hindu on Wednesday that Maharashtra has sanctioned Rs.5,000 crore towards drought relief and input subsidy in the three districts. The agrarian community on both sides of the inter-State border has not witnessed such crisis since the last three decades, he added.
The TRS party in Adilabad had submitted a representation to the Collector on October 25 demanding declaration of drought based on the over 50 per cent deficiency of rainfall . However, the government has not yet responded.