Hyderabad, October 2026: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will convene a special meeting with ministers on October 12 to review the impact of El Niño and the prevailing drought conditions across the state, with a focus on farmers’ distress and immediate relief measures.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the meeting will assess areas that have received deficient rainfall and examine the challenges facing farmers. Discussions will also cover agriculture, irrigation, drinking water availability, rising electricity demand and other urgent requirements arising from the dry spell.
The rainfall situation was discussed at length during the recent state Cabinet meeting. Telangana has recorded 17 per cent less rainfall than normal, while around 235 mandals have reportedly experienced drought-like conditions.
The state government has already passed a resolution in the Assembly, urging the Centre to declare drought-affected areas and provide adequate financial assistance. It has also sought a special financial package of Rs 20,000 crore to address the situation.
The October 12 meeting is expected to review relief measures for affected regions, recommendations prepared by the ministerial sub-committee and the proposed all-party meeting. Suggestions from farmers’ associations and experts from various fields are also likely to be considered while formulating the government’s response.
Earlier, officials indicated on October 6 that preliminary assessments pointed to severe drought conditions in 320 mandals spread across 18 districts due to the El Niño effect. Telangana has 621 mandals across its 33 districts.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju has directed officials to prepare a comprehensive report on the drought situation without delay. He instructed departments, including Planning, Revenue, Groundwater, Agriculture, Panchayat Raj and Rural Water Supply, to compile detailed data and identify drought-affected mandals according to prescribed norms.
The Chief Secretary also asked officials to assess the situation using 12 standard parameters, including rainfall recorded during the southwest monsoon season from June to September.
He emphasised that the identification and declaration of drought-affected mandals must strictly follow government regulations and established criteria. Officials have been directed to complete the comprehensive report by the end of October.
The findings are expected to help the government determine the extent of the drought, prioritise affected areas and plan appropriate interventions. The October 12 meeting will be crucial in coordinating the response across departments and deciding on immediate steps to address farmers’ concerns, water shortages and other emerging challenges.
