HYDERABAD, 8 August — A nine-member team from New Delhi is currently touring southern state of Andhra Pradesh to assess the quantum of financial assistance needed by the state where drought has affected agriculture and rural life in 18 of the state’s 23 districts.
The team led by K.D. Sinha, joint secretary in the Agriculture Ministry, arrived here yesterday night for a three-day visit in the wake of the state’s appeal for 8.5 billion rupees in central assistance to deal with the drought.
The state government has already announced 1.7 billion rupees as immediate assistance to the drought-hit districts. Interestingly, the central team’s visit has coincided with rains in some of the districts, causing the state government as well the farmers to worry that the severity of the drought might not register fully on the observers.
Rains since Sunday in the coastal and Telangana regions have somewhat eased the severe drought conditions. But districts like Cuddapah and Kurnool continue to reel with less than half the normal rainfall this season.
But Sinha has ruled out the possibility of any under assessment saying the team members were experienced people in their respective fields.
