KCR wants relief on war footing to tackle food shortage

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao Friday reviewed the drought situation in the state and asked the district collectors to respond immediately if people in any village are suffering due to lack of food.

At a meeting with the district collectors, he asked them to take immediate measures if people in any place are facing shortage of food and said the government will take up relief measures on war footing in such places.

KCR, as the leader is popularly known, directed the officers to give top priority to address the situation created by drought, heat wave, drinking water shortage and plummeting ground water. He said the officials should assess the requirement of fodder in a particular area and take steps for supply of the same.

He also asked the collectors to ensure that works under National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) are taken up only during morning and evening hours in view of the intense heat wave conditions prevailing in the state.

He also wanted officials to ensure proper supply of medicines in towns and villages to treat the cases of sun stroke. Referring to the forecast of good rainfall this year, he asked collectors to start planning for kharif crop season.

Stating that cotton will have not have a big market in coming days, he called for preparing farmers for alternate crops. He pointed out that at World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Nairobi, India became party to a decision to phase out subsidies on cotton exports.

KCR asked officials to encourage farmers to go for cultivation of soyabean and other crops.

--IANS