El Niño Impact: Drinking Water Gets Top Priority – Chandrababu

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has called for drinking water to be given the highest priority this year amid the severe rainfall deficit caused by the El Niño effect in Andhra Pradesh. He said water should next be allocated to industries and horticultural crops, while farmers should avoid rushing into paddy cultivation without adequate water availability. The state is expected to receive only 557 mm of rainfall between June and December against the normal 867 mm, indicating a 35.5% deficit. Some districts could face a deficit of around 42%, he said. Naidu stressed water conservation at the field level and announced plans to establish enforcement committees to ensure regulated water releases from projects. He said efficient water management helped the state store 953 TMC of water in reservoirs in 2025, which is now providing crucial support.

Naidu said the government is promoting drip irrigation, mulching, shade nets and farm ponds to protect horticultural crops. He urged farmers to enrol in crop insurance and said registrations had increased to 35.17 lakh this year. The government has set a target of post-monsoon dry sowing across 23 lakh acres, with 17 lakh acres already completed. The state also plans to complete 36 irrigation projects at a cost of ₹35,555 crore by December 2028, which are expected to provide irrigation to 19.16 lakh acres. Naidu also outlined deadlines for major projects including Polavaram, Veligonda, Handri-Neeva, Guntur Channel, Varikapudisela, Neradi Barrage and Thotapalli.