The inter-Ministerial Central team on drought reached here on Friday and appreciated the district administration for mitigating migrations by adopting measures under the MGNREGS.
The team, led by Under Secretary (Central Water Resources) K. Narayana Reddy, inspected a photo exhibition put up at the Collector’s Office on drought conditions in Vizianagaram, Dattirajeru, Kothavalasa, Mentada, Gantyada, and Vepada mandals that were declared drought-hit in the district.
Mr. Reddy said that drought conditions prevailed in a few pockets in the said mandals due to deficit rainfall. After a tour in those areas, the team would submit a report to the Centre. He, however, appreciated the Collector for the measures taken to mitigate migrations.
MGNREGS works
At the review meeting, Collector Vivek Yadav informed the team that ₹530 crore had been spent under the MGNREGS and employment provided to 91,522 people in addition to rescheduling of loans, ‘take home’ in place of mid-day meal during summer vacation, linking of water resources, water conservation structures, and check-dams in the six mandals. Owing to irregular and deficit rainfall in some pockets in the drought-hit mandals, the agriculture yield dropped by 33%, he told them.
The team was informed about the ground conditions through a PowerPoint presentation by officials of the DWMA, Water Resources, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Education departments.
