Three-Member Central Team Inspects Drought-Hit Villages in Yadgir, Raichur

A three-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team visited several drought-affected villages in Yadgir and Raichur districts on Sunday to assess crop damage and the distress faced by farmers after a prolonged dry spell during the kharif season.

The inspection focused on the extent of damage in the fields and the condition of farming communities affected by the rainfall shortage.

Three-member team conducts field assessment

The team comprised Man Singh, Director, Department of Rice Development, Patna; Partha Paul, Under Secretary, Department of Expenditure, New Delhi; and Rakesh Kumar, Under Secretary, Department of Rural Development, New Delhi.

During the field visit, the officials interacted directly with affected farmers to understand the severity of the situation on the ground.

The interaction with cultivators was part of the team’s assessment of the crisis in the two districts, which have experienced acute rainfall deficits and severe depletion of soil moisture.

Standing crops suffer extensive damage

Standing crops, primarily cotton, green gram and red gram, were extensively damaged across lakhs of acres because of the dry spell during key growth stages of the kharif season.

The crop losses have pushed agricultural households into deep financial strain, according to the source material.

The State government declared Yadgir and Raichur drought-affected after official survey reports confirmed extended dry spells and critical soil moisture depletion.

The declaration followed findings on both the duration of the dry conditions and the resulting impact on soil moisture.

Findings to support relief request

Yadgir Deputy Commissioner Rahul Pandve and Raichur Deputy Commissioner Poovitha S., along with senior officials from the Revenue and Agriculture departments, accompanied the Central team during the inspection.

The officials provided administrative data and field reports to support the team’s assessment of the drought situation.

The IMCT’s ground assessment, together with feedback gathered from local cultivators, will form the basis of a formal report to be submitted to the Centre.

The report is intended to support the sanctioning of a financial relief and assistance package under the National Disaster Response Fund.

Source: The Hindu