Hyderabad: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday ordered the immediate revival of District Irrigation Advisory Panels to help farmers plan crops amid El Nino conditions and uncertain rainfall.
Addressing district collectors through a video conference, Uttam Kumar Reddy directed them to convene District Irrigation Advisory Panels from the next day wherever possible. Moreover, he said the panels should meet before and during every crop season.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao and Jupally Krishna Rao, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju and senior officials. Further, the Minister said the panels should include district collectors, irrigation officials, agriculture officials, elected representatives and other stakeholders.
District Irrigation Advisory Panels to guide crop planning
Uttam Kumar Reddy directed the panels to review reservoir storage, expected inflows, rainfall forecasts, drinking water needs and irrigation requirements. Meanwhile, he said the aim was to give farmers reliable advice before they selected crops.
He cautioned farmers against cultivating water-intensive crops such as paddy in command areas with inadequate inflows. In addition, he asked district administrations to explain the water situation before farmers began cultivation.
The Minister said recent rainfall had brought some relief. However, he warned that it might support only the first irrigation cycle. He said uncertainty over later water availability required careful crop planning.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said water levels in the Nagarjuna Sagar and Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP) reservoirs remained below desirable levels. Therefore, he advised farmers in vulnerable command areas to shift to less water-intensive crops based on local conditions.
He also directed Rural Water Supply officials to coordinate with the Irrigation Department. The officials must protect drinking water reserves for the coming summer. Finally, he instructed them not to release water under local or political pressure if it could affect future drinking water supplies.
The Minister also announced that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy would launch the statewide distribution of new ration smart cards on August 15.