Amaravati, Nov 4 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday urged the Centre to extend assistance to drought-hit farmers by increasing the number of workdays under the VB-G RAM G scheme to 200 and expediting crop insurance compensation.
An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which visited Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts on November 2 and 3, met the CM and briefed him on its assessment findings.
“Naidu has urged the Centre to support drought-affected farmers by increasing employment opportunities under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) scheme to 200 days and ensuring faster disbursement of crop insurance compensation,” a press release said.
The CM said that while coastal Andhra Pradesh was facing cyclone-related problems, several other regions, particularly Rayalaseema, were reeling under severe drought due to deficient rainfall and El Niño conditions.
He said the state had received significantly less rainfall than normal this year, severely affecting Kharif crops. Anantapur had recorded the second-lowest rainfall in the country, he added.
Naidu said 412 mandals across 21 districts had been declared drought-affected and that the state government would assess farmers’ losses and submit a detailed report to the Centre within a week.
The CM urged the central team to recommend increasing the minimum number of workdays under the VB-G RAM G scheme to 200 and permitting its implementation for agriculture-related activities.
He said natural farming required additional manpower at the field level and that increasing the number of workdays would help address labour shortages faced by farmers while generating employment in rural areas.
Naidu highlighted how drought had significantly reduced farmers’ incomes and affected their ability to repay agricultural loans. He sought Central assistance for rescheduling such loans.
Recalling that farmers owning even 10 acres in Rayalaseema had received ration cards during previous droughts, he urged the team to examine the possibility of issuing drought cards to eligible families.
He said drought cards would facilitate the supply of essential commodities at subsidised prices with Central assistance and sought cooperation in extending relief to affected households.
Naidu said groundwater levels had declined considerably due to deficient rainfall, while additional borewells were also failing to yield the expected results in several areas.
He urged the Centre to support the expansion of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and undertake long-term water management measures, including the development and interlinking of water resources in rural areas.
The CM said the state government was providing input subsidies to affected farmers and sought the speedy settlement of pending crop insurance claims.
He urged the Centre to ensure that insurance compensation was deposited directly into farmers’ bank accounts without delay, enabling them to take up cultivation of the next crop.
Naidu stressed the need to prioritise the supply of fodder and drinking water, pointing out that drought conditions had affected livestock and rural livelihoods, apart from agriculture.
The central team, which assessed crop losses and interacted with farmers during its field visits, said it would submit its report to the Centre within 15 days.
Further action on the assistance sought by Andhra Pradesh would be taken based on the report, the team said.
Naidu also highlighted the simultaneous impact of severe drought in some regions and cyclone-related damage to crops and other sectors in coastal districts, seeking special assistance from the Centre.
(PTI News)
