More mandals to come under drought list

The department of disaster management, Andhra Pradesh, would include more mandals, which have not been covered under the drought notification. “We are taking further action to consider the requests based on the eligibility norms,” said state revenue, relief and rehabilitation minister Dharmana Prasada Rao.

Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Rao said chief minister K Rosaiah had written a letter to Union home and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar seeking early release of Rs 9,747.42 crore drought relief fund.

The Andhra government has declared 981 mandals in 22 districts as drought-affected. As on August 15, 2009, the extent of crop damage is estimated at Rs 3,007.66 crore, with the total affected crop area being 1.17 million hectare (ha). The cropped area with more than 50 per cent damage is estimated at 1.86 million ha while the unsown area is 3.59 million ha.

“The drought memorandum covers input subsidy for agriculture crops of Rs 291.44 crore and a Rs 86.49-crore input subsidy requirement for horticulture crops. Fodder development is proposed additionally for 100,000 ha through supply of fodder seed at 75 per cent subsidy. About 5,000 tonne of fodder seed will be supplied to yield 1 million tonne of dry fodder,” the minister said.

Rao said the state government had proposed to cover 40,000 ha under community fodder development at 100 per cent subsidy to yield 400,000 tonne of dry fodder. About 2,000 tonne of fodder seed is proposed to be supplied for this programme.

“To mitigate the sufferings of the people, the government will organise 600 cattle camps and will cover 1,616 habitations for transportation of drinking water in rural areas. Flushing and deepening of 5,357 borewells and 4,798 open wells respectively too will be taken up,” he added.

Drought pension of Rs 200 per month per person will be extended to 1.47 million, the minister said.