Preliminary assessments have flagged severe drought conditions across 320 mandals in 18 districts of Telangana, officials confirmed on Tuesday, 6 October, attributing the crisis to the El Niño effect. The figure marks a sharp jump from an earlier estimate of around 235 mandals facing drought-like conditions, underscoring the rapid deterioration of the situation on the ground.

Telangana has a total of 621 mandals spread across 33 districts, meaning roughly half the state's administrative sub-units are now caught in the assessment net.

Chief Secretary Orders Comprehensive Report

Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju convened a high-level review of the State Disaster Management Department at the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat in Hyderabad on Tuesday. He directed officials to urgently compile a comprehensive drought report using data from multiple departments — including Planning, Revenue, Groundwater, Agriculture, Panchayat Raj, and Rural Water Supply.

The report is to be built on 12 standard parameters, with Southwest Monsoon rainfall data from June to September forming a core metric. Chief Secretary Jaju set a deadline of end of October for the final comprehensive document. He also instructed officials to formally identify drought-affected mandals in line with prescribed government norms and regulations.

Senior officials present at the review included Principal Secretary (Finance) Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Principal Secretary (Disaster Management) Rahul Bojja, and Secretaries Dasari Harichandana and Gaurav Uppal.

17 Per Cent Rainfall Deficit Drives the Crisis

Telangana recorded a 17 per cent deficit in rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon season, which concluded on 30 September. The shortfall has strained agricultural output, groundwater tables, and rural water supply infrastructure — particularly in districts that were already vulnerable ahead of the monsoon season. This is the most significant rainfall deficit the state has had to formally assess in recent years.

All-Party Meeting and Delhi Delegation Planned

The state Cabinet had, at its meeting last week, decided to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the El Niño impact and seek inputs from political parties before finalising a response strategy. A Cabinet sub-committee has been tasked with assessing the situation and submitting a detailed findings report.

Additionally, the Cabinet resolved to send a delegation of ministers to New Delhi to meet Central government ministers and present a comprehensive report on the affected mandals. The state government plans to formally request the Centre to declare the affected mandals as drought-hit and to release financial assistance for relief operations.

Officials were also directed to prepare a separate report specifically for the all-party meeting, incorporating all necessary data on the El Niño impact.

What Comes Next

With the end-of-October deadline now in place, the formal declaration of drought-affected mandals under government regulations is expected within weeks. The all-party meeting and the ministers' delegation to New Delhi are likely to follow the report's submission, setting the stage for a potential Central assistance package. How swiftly the Centre responds — and on what scale — will largely determine the pace and reach of relief for farming communities across the affected districts.