CM Chandrababu Stands by Farmers Affected by Cyclones

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is making continuous efforts to support farmers who suffered crop losses due to Cyclones Arnab and Murasu. He has been holding discussions with the Centre to secure immediate assistance for farmers affected by damage to agricultural and horticultural crops. The Chief Minister has written several letters to the Centre highlighting farmers' difficulties and has also spoken to Union Ministers on multiple occasions. He has reportedly held four discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged the Centre to dispatch assessment teams to the state without delay. According to the preliminary assessment submitted by the state government, Cyclone Arnab caused losses estimated at Rs. 4,563 crore. The report stated that 781 villages were severely affected, while agricultural crops across three lakh hectares and horticultural crops across 13,600 hectares were damaged in 16 districts. It also reported damage to 29,000 electricity poles and 7,981 kilometres of power lines. Chandrababu has sought Rs. 4,563 crore in immediate relief from the Centre to address the damage caused by the cyclone.

In a separate communication to the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister stated that Cyclone Murasu severely affected 465 villages across seven districts. Paddy crops spread over 50,473 hectares and commercial crops across 1,985 hectares suffered damage, resulting in preliminary property losses estimated at Rs. 343 crore. He urged the Centre to provide immediate interim assistance to restore normalcy in the affected districts and support farmers. Meanwhile, Chandrababu has also raised concerns over more than 150 chilli export containers stranded at the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka. In a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, he stated that the consignments, intended for countries including China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, were held up over concerns regarding moisture content. The delay has left chilli stocks worth approximately Rs. 60 crore stranded at the port, affecting farmers and exporters. The Chief Minister requested the Centre to coordinate with the concerned countries and take necessary steps to facilitate the export of the consignments.