State is drought-hit, seeks Rs 4,200cr grant

Hyderabad
Sept. 9: The state government has finally declared 971 of the total 1,108 mandals in AP as drought hit and has sought an assistance of Rs 4,200 crore from the Centre. The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, who made this announcement on Wednesday at the Secretariat, said that his predecessor, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, wanted to declare the state drought-hit on September 4. “Unfortunately, he left the duty to me,” he said.
Since the poll code is in vogue for the Tekkali by-election, 10 mandals in Srikakulam district were not included in the list.
The state received 32 per cent less rainfall this year. If the rainfall deficiency is more than 19 per cent, that area can be declared as drought-hit as per the Centre’s guidelines.
“All farm loans can now be rescheduled and fresh loans can be disbursed,” said Mr Rosaiah. “Farmers will get input subsidy of up to 50 per cent of the cost.”
The state government waited for the completion of the Kharif loan disbursal by banks to declare drought. Mr Rosaiah said banks had already disbursed Rs 13,600 crore of the targeted Rs 14,100 crore as loans.