Home Minister stresses proactive steps to mitigate El Niño impact

A.P. Home and Disaster Management Minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Tuesday reviewed the preparedness of various departments in view of the prevailing El Niño conditions and directed officials to draw up advance plans to tackle the challenges that may arise during the Southwest Monsoon season.

Chairing a review meeting at the A.P. State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) headquarters, Ms. Anitha instructed all line departments to take proactive measures to minimise the impact of El Niño on the State. She stressed that preventing loss of life should be the government’s foremost priority.

Officials informed the Minister that, according to forecasts, Andhra Pradesh is likely to receive 27% below-normal rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon this year.

Noting that 105 of the State’s 688 mandals are expected to be severely affected by the rainfall deficit, Ms. Anitha asked Agriculture Department officials to create awareness among farmers about suitable alternative crops. She also directed them to ensure that weather-based agricultural advisories reach farmers at the village level.

The districts of Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur and Annamayya are expected to be the worst affected, while Kurnool, Nandyal, Chittoor, YSR Kadapa, Tirupati, Prakasam, Markapuram and SPSR Nellore are likely to experience moderate drought conditions. According to an APSDMA press release, 1,161 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) across the State have been identified as high-risk centres.

The Minister directed officials to ensure that control rooms function round the clock at both the State and district levels. She said weather alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the APSDMA should be disseminated promptly to the field level, adding that timely early warnings, effective emergency response and swift restoration measures could significantly reduce the impact of disasters.

Officials informed the Minister that ₹277.63 crore was released under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) during the 2025-26 financial year, while ₹479.01 crore has been released during 2026-27.

They also said that ₹521.17 crore has been allocated under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF)/National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for long-term disaster mitigation projects.

Ms. Anitha also issued directions to officials of the Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Health, Panchayat Raj, Water Resources and Municipal Administration Departments to strengthen preparedness measures.

The meeting was attended by APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Director Sampath Kumar, NDRF 10th Battalion Commandant Prasanna Kumar and other officials.