The government presented a drought status report to the visiting inter-ministerial Central team, seeking an assistance of Rs.2,584 crore to combat drought conditions in majority districts in the State.
State officials submitted the report to the team, which is headed by Pravesh Sharma, MD, Small Farmer Agri-business Consortium, Ministry of Agriculture, while briefing its members on the issues of drought at a meeting here on Monday.
In the report, T. Radha, commissioner, Disaster Management, stated that the drought had damaged crops in over 34.24 lakh hectares, resulting in a production loss of Rs.5,746 crore.
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Further, several places were experiencing shortage of drinking water and fodder for cattle.
He said the assistance sought from the Centre would be used for various purposes by the Departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Rural Water Supply and Urban Water Supply and for extension of relief in other forms, including input subsidy to farmers, and payment of drought pensions to the poor in affected areas.
The government had already declared 878 out of 1,128 mandals as drought-affected and was extending relief to the people in affected areas.
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The team later left for field inspections in the districts after dividing itself into groups. The Central team will have a wrap-up meeting with Chief Minister N. Kumar Reddy on Wednesday evening before leaving for Delhi.