Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a review meeting with Andhra Pradesh’s ministers and officials to address the drought issues in the southern districts of the state. The discussions also covered organic farming initiatives and the Palm Oil Mission. The meeting took place at the PGRS Hall, District Collectorate, in Puttaparthi, Sri Sathya Sai district.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chouhan stated, “We held an important discussion in Puttaparthi today with Andhra Pradesh’s Agriculture Minister about the drought-affected areas. This region faces significant challenges such as low rainfall and frequent droughts, which severely affect farmers and agriculture. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the state government has already implemented several key measures, including promoting drip irrigation and enhancing horticulture.”
He added, “The previous government misused central funds, which was highly unfair to the farmers. However, the current government is making active efforts to address this issue. With the leadership of a visionary Chief Minister, we are focused on creating both short-term and long-term solutions for the Rayalaseema districts. Today’s discussions concluded with an agreement that both the state and central governments will collaborate to find effective solutions.”
As part of the proposed measures, a central government team, including scientists from ICAR and officials from the agriculture and rural development ministries, will be sent to Andhra Pradesh. This team, comprising experts from agriculture, rural development, ICAR, and land resources departments, will work on developing strategies to cultivate crops in drought-prone conditions, the minister explained.
Chouhan also noted, “We will focus on rainwater harvesting, afforestation, and consult the Ministry of Jal Shakti on how to bring water from the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers to the region. Under an integrated farming approach that includes fruit, flowers, vegetables, agroforestry, beekeeping, and animal husbandry, several new initiatives will be introduced. Additionally, we will work on developing drought-resistant seed varieties to improve crop yields.”
The Union Agriculture Minister said, “We have agreed to create an Integrated Action Plan that we will develop in cooperation with the state government. I am confident that with these efforts, we will help farmers in the drought-affected districts overcome the challenges they face.”
