State Cabinet approves DA instalments, readies drought relief measures

The state cabinet has approved two instalments of dearness allowance as it moves to address drought concerns triggered by below-normal monsoon precipitation. A rainfall deficit of approximately 17 per cent was recorded during the monsoon season, which concluded this week, according to the Minister for Information.

Before finalising mitigation measures, the government has decided to convene an all-party meeting to ensure broad-based consensus on relief strategies. The administration plans comprehensive consultations with farmers' associations and sectoral experts to develop a coordinated response to the drought situation.

The multi-pronged approach reflects the government's intention to address both immediate livelihood support through the dearness allowance disbursements and longer-term drought management. Officials said the consultative process would help identify vulnerabilities across agricultural and related sectors before implementing relief measures.

The drought declaration follows what meteorological data characterises as a monsoon season marked by persistent rainfall shortfalls. Government sources indicated that the scale of the deficit underscored the need for a comprehensive response involving multiple stakeholder groups.