The State Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had sought a financial package for the center on Wednesday. The details were released to the media by an official communiqué, which is given below for reader enrichment. The financial assistance was sought to aid the massive drought relief taken up by the state government. This he said after a meeting with the inter-ministerial central team. The team submitted a report to the CM after touring the state and assessing the drought damages faced by the state.  Based on the report the CM proposes to put a fresh request for a liberal financial package from the center to the tune of Rs. 3006 Cr.

A release from the Chief Minister's Office quoted him as saying that a few districts in the state are suffering from cyclone and floods on one hand and drought on the other.  He sought long-term assistance from the Centre to meet situation arising out of natural calamities.  Seeking release of drought relief at the earliest, the Chief Minister said the State Government would add its share and distribute the fund to the farmers.  The Chief Minister also sought a bonus of Rs 120 towards the Minimum Support Price for food grains. The Central team lauded the well-coordinated approach of the State Government in conducting drought relief measures, the release said.

The team appreciated that a comprehensive assessment of the crop damage has been done and that there are no complaints from any farmer that he is left out. A detailed drought memorandum was submitted to the Centre last month requesting assistance from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) amounting to Rs 2584.42 Cr. Agriculture operations were badly hit due to erratic, uneven and non-receipt of adequate rainfall in kharif season 2011. Due to deficiency of rainfall in June, sowing of rain fed crops was delayed by nearly 15 to 30 days. Crop growth was further affected due to inadequate rainfall in September, the release added. (With inputs from internet: AarKay)