Hyderabad: Warning that a prolonged rainfall deficit could severely impact agriculture, water resources and rural livelihoods, the expert committee on El Nino has estimated that Telangana will require ₹802.92 crore to implement an emergency mitigation and adaptation plan and urged the govt to roll out the measures without delay.The expert committee, headed by Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairperson G Chinna Reddy, submitted its report to chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday. The report proposes a mix of short, medium and long-term interventions to address the impact of deficient rainfall, water stress and crop losses linked to prevailing El Nino conditions.The panel noted that Telangana had received only 234.8 mm of rainfall against the normal southwest monsoon rainfall up to July 27, resulting in a deficit of nearly 30%. With most districts facing drought-like conditions and reservoir storage as well as groundwater levels coming under increasing pressure, the committee called for urgent govt intervention.Of the total proposed expenditure, the committee recommended ₹329.18 crore for contingency crop seed subsidies, ₹452.80 crore for micro irrigation, mulching and standing crop protection measures, ₹15 crore for promotion of vegetable cultivation through subsidy for vegetable pandals, and ₹5.12 crore for establishment of vermicompost units.The report advocated large-scale promotion of alternative crops such as red gram, green gram, black gram, maize, jowar, bajra, ragi, oilseeds, vegetables and fodder crops in rainfall-deficit areas. It also recommended supply of quality seeds on subsidy, district-specific contingency plans, expansion of micro-irrigation and wider adoption of climate-resilient farming practices.In a key recommendation, the committee proposed regulating additional paddy cultivation in water-stressed regions and encouraging crop diversification based on local water availability.The panel stressed the need to strengthen water conservation efforts through farm ponds, groundwater recharge structures, watershed development, rainwater harvesting, mulching and moisture-conservation practices. It also recommended prioritising drinking water needs in major reservoirs and strengthening village-level monitoring of water resources.For the horticulture sector, the committee suggested expanding cultivation of vegetables, oil palm, fruits and sericulture, supported by subsidies for drip irrigation. To safeguard the livestock sector, the report recommended creation of fodder banks, and expansion of fodder cultivation.The committee also called for wider dissemination of weather-based advisories, stronger coordination between govt departments, agricultural universities and research institutions, and establishment of monitoring mechanisms at the district, mandal and village levels to track the evolving impact of El Nino and ensure timely intervention.
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