BJP Kisan Morcha demands ₹10 crore relief package for each drought-hit mandal

The Telangana BJP Kisan Morcha demanded that the State government immediately release ₹10 crore for each of the 365 drought-affected mandals and halt the recovery of bank loans from farmers until conditions improve.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP State office on Thursday, Telangana BJP Kisan Morcha president Basawapuram Lakshminarasaiah urged the government to announce a comprehensive action plan to prevent the migration of farmers and agricultural labourers from rural areas in the wake of worsening drought conditions.

He said the Centre had already taken measures to support rural livelihoods by providing for 125 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and allocating ₹3,825 crore, representing its 60% share, for 8.83 lakh projects in Telangana.

According to the BJP leader, the government did not adequately coordinate power supply or manage reservoir water levels to mitigate the impact of deficient rainfall. Claiming that more than 90% of Telangana’s mandals were experiencing severe drought conditions, he said inadequate electricity supply and irrigation water during the Kharif season had resulted in paddy crops drying up on nearly 13 lakh acres, accounting for about 18% of the cultivated area.