Telangana CM seeks central aid to mitigate El Niño fallout in state

Telangana's chief minister, A Revanth Reddy, requested central aid from Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday to combat the effects of El Niño on agriculture, electricity demand, and water availability in the state. The meeting took place at the South Zone Agriculture Conference where Chouhan was attending. Revanth Reddy highlighted the drought-like conditions the state is currently facing due to El Niño and its consequences, such as increased irrigation dependence which has led to higher power consumption in the agriculture sector.

He informed Chouhan that the state government has prepared plans to avert any shortages of drinking water and electricity due to El Niño. However, the chief minister appealed for necessary assistance from the central government to achieve this goal. Revanth Reddy mentioned that Telangana is providing fine-quality rice to poor beneficiaries through ration shops, a unique initiative in the country.

The state is also promoting fine varieties of paddy cultivation with a ₹500 bonus per quintal for farmers. To counter the El Niño conditions, the government is encouraging crop diversification and seeking the Centre's cooperation in promoting crop rotation practices. The South Zone Agriculture Conference discussed various agricultural reforms, including digital agriculture, farmer registry, high-value horticulture, value addition, self-reliance in edible oils and pulses, natural farming, balanced fertilizer management, and addressing spurious pesticides and fertilizers.