Amid El Niño and fears of prolonged drought, Telangana announces 4-month employment scheme

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced a four-month employment scheme starting after Sankranti to support workers. With reservoirs critically low and many pump sets dry, the government will monitor water supplies, provide cattle fodder and drinking water, and create additional workdays.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has announced a special scheme to provide daily employment to workers for four months amid El Niño weather conditions and fears of a major drought in the state.

“The drought starting in October will last until July. Heat and water evaporation will increase, causing water issues. Drinking water will face more hardships than irrigation water. The problem starts small and grows big, creating a situation where people cannot step out of their homes,” Reddy said on Friday.

Water storage levels raise concerns

According to the Chief Minister, out of 30 lakh pump sets in Telangana, 15 lakh had already dried up. Water storage in projects had fallen to less than 20 per cent of their total capacity, with some projects reaching dead storage levels. The available water was not more than 200 TMC, he said.

New job scheme for daily wage workers

CM announced a new job scheme, which will kick off after the Sankranti festival to provide relief for poor workers, that will be implemented for four months till May. The state government would supplement funds received from the Central government to implement the special employment scheme, the Chief Minister said.

Emphasising the need to ensure drinking water supplies, the Chief Minister instructed the Cabinet sub-committee and officials at all levels to continuously monitor the situation. A toll-free number would be provided to address grievances.

He directed public representatives to visit villages and said a special application would be installed on their phones to monitor the initiative.

Water conservation to remain focus

The scheme would also focus on restoring access paths to agricultural fields, canals, ponds and small water bodies. Cultural troupes, or ‘Kalajathas’, would be organised to motivate farmers, while a help desk would be set up at Gandhi Bhavan under the leadership of MP Chamala Kiran.

Reddy said the government had a responsibility to disclose the ground reality and ensure that no one suffered during the crisis. "Leaders should educate farmers about the drought through Rythu Vedikas across the state. Special centres would be established in villages to provide fodder and drinking water for cattle, and additional workdays would be created under the employment guarantee scheme."

The Chief Minister said the government had constituted a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and appointed K Ramakrishna Rao as a special officer to address issues related to El Niño and counter misinformation.

He said the government had managed the Kharif crop season without an irrigation crisis and would ensure the protection and procurement of Kharif crops. Revanth Reddy also defended the bonus announced for seven varieties of fine paddy, saying farmers were receiving prices ranging from ₹3,400 to ₹4,000 as traders from other states offered advances and purchased their produce, the release said.

Use electricity only for essential requirement

The Chief Minister said intense heat and water scarcity had led to a sharp increase in electricity consumption. He said electricity demand had reached 20,000 megawatts, compared with 13,000 MW during the corresponding season in undivided Andhra Pradesh, adding that the Electricity Department had successfully made 20,000 MW available.

The government was prepared to purchase electricity at any cost, but it was unavailable in the market, CM Reddy said, urging people to use electricity only for essential requirements. He emphasised the need for greater solar power generation and said villagers in Kongareddypalli had benefited by selling solar-generated electricity. He also called for involving women’s self-help groups in the initiative.