The demand for a special Telangana drought relief package has intensified after BJP leader Gudur Narayana Reddy said the state’s existing assistance would not adequately compensate farmers facing crop losses and possible restrictions on cultivation during the coming yasangi season.
Narayana Reddy urged the government to create a special Rythu Bharosa package for farmers affected by drought-like conditions. His demand followed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s appeal to farmers to skip one crop during the coming yasangi season in order to conserve drinking water.
The BJP leader said farmers could not be expected to forgo cultivation without adequate compensation. He called for a package calculated on a per-acre basis and said it should cover crop losses, land that remained unsown and farmers who followed the government’s advice to reduce cultivation.
The demand places compensation at the centre of the state’s water-conservation response. Asking farmers to leave land uncultivated can reduce pressure on water resources, but it also transfers part of the cost of water management to agricultural households. The proposal for a dedicated package is intended to address that gap, according to Narayana Reddy’s statement reported by The Times of India.
Narayana Reddy cited estimates that losses to the vanakalam crop could reach ₹20,000 crore. The report does not provide an official assessment confirming that figure. He demanded that the government begin an immediate damage assessment so that the extent of crop loss and the affected areas can be established.
He also sought an all-party meeting on the situation and proposed sending a delegation to Delhi to seek special assistance from the Centre for Telangana’s farmers. These demands would require coordination between the state government, political parties and central authorities, particularly if the proposed relief is to include compensation for both lost crops and land left unsown.
The issue also highlights the administrative challenge of implementing a crop-suspension appeal. Any support linked to farmers skipping cultivation would need to identify eligible land and verify compliance, while crop-loss compensation would require a separate assessment of damage. The reported demand does not specify the proposed package amount per acre, the funding arrangement or the timeline for disbursement.
The immediate next steps sought by Narayana Reddy are an assessment of vanakalam crop damage, an all-party meeting and a delegation to Delhi to request special central assistance. The state government’s response to the proposed Rythu Bharosa package and the chief minister’s crop-conservation appeal remains awaited.
