Overview
- Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday directed officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan that covers drinking water, irrigation, agriculture and electricity for the next eight months.
- Officials were told to set up a war-room, toll-free helpline and public awareness drives and to assess standing crops so farmers receive water until harvest.
- Telangana has formally asked the Centre to declare drought-affected mandals, sought a special relief package of ₹20,000 crore and requested an extra 50 days of work under the rural employment scheme.
- Official assessments differ on the scale of stress with reports citing roughly 235 to 320 mandals facing drought-like conditions after a monsoon that was about 17% below normal.
- The Chief Minister warned of a possible power shortfall, authorised procurement spending where possible, and urged conservation while opponents criticised his frequent trips to New Delhi.