Telangana seeks loan relief for drought-hit farmers as El Niño bites

The Telangana government is pushing for loan relief measures to support farmers reeling from drought conditions triggered by El Niño weather patterns. Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the scale of the agricultural crisis during recent statements, noting that drought has been formally declared across 365 mandals spanning 31 districts in the state.

Among the affected areas, 111 mandals have been classified as severely drought-hit, indicating acute water scarcity and crop failure risks across substantial portions of Telangana's agricultural belt. The El Niño-induced drought has disrupted monsoon patterns, creating challenging conditions for crop cultivation across the region.

The state administration is seeking financial interventions from the central government and financial institutions to provide relief to affected farmers. Loan waivers and restructuring of existing agricultural credit are among the measures being advocated to ease the financial burden on farming communities grappling with crop losses and depleted water resources.

The drought declaration comes as parts of South and Southeast Asia face heightened climate stress linked to El Niño conditions, which typically disrupt seasonal rainfall patterns and intensify temperature extremes across the region.