Lok Sabha Question No. 5134 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-24
Subject: Support for Dryland Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vamsi Krishna Gaddam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5134

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24 TH  MARCH, 2026

## SUPPORT FOR DRYLAND FARMERS

5134. SHRI VAMSI KRISHNA GADDAM:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी

be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that large areas in Mancherial and Jagtial districts of Telangana fall under dryland agricultural zones and are highly vulnerable to low rainfall, climate variability and recurrent drought conditions; (b) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  any  district-specific  assessment  of  crop productivity, farmer distress and climate vulnerability in the dryland regions of Mancherial and Jagtial; (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  special  support  programmes  for dryland farmers in these districts, including promotion of drought-resilient crops, expansion of  micro-irrigation,  soil  health  improvement  measures  and  establishment  of  custom-hiring centres; and the steps being taken to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers in the drought-prone

(d) regions of Mancherial and Jagtial districts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI  RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) & (b): As  per  district-level  risk  and  vulnerability  assessment  undertaken  by  Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the parent district of Mancherial, i.e., Adilabad, has been categorized  as  high  vulnerability  and  high  risk,  while  the  parent  district  of  Jagtial,  i.e., Karimnagar, has been categorized as medium vulnerability and medium risk. As reported by State  Government  of  Telangana  regular  assessment  of  crop  productivity,  rainfall,  and soil  health  is  undertaken  at  district  and  mandal  levels  through  Crop  Cutting  Experiments (CCE), field monitoring, and the Soil Health Card Scheme. The identified rainfed mandals are continuously monitored, and necessary advisories and interventions are provided.

(c) & (d): Special support measures are being implemented to support dryland farmers and safeguard their livelihoods in these districts.  These  include  distribution  of  maize  and pulses seeds under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), promotion of micro-irrigation namely  drip and sprinkler systems through Per Drop More Crop schemes, establishment of farm  ponds  and  check  dams  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), restoration of tanks under Mission Kakatiya, and farm mechanization support along with Custom Hiring Centres  under  Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization.  The  Soil  Health  and  Fertility scheme is also implemented to assist states in promoting Integrated Nutrient Management through  balanced  and  judicious  use  of  fertilizers.  In  addition,  the  Indian  Council  of Agricultural  Research  -  Central  Research  Institute  for  Dryland  Agriculture  (CRIDA)  has undertaken  interventions  under  the  Scheduled  Caste  Sub  Plan  (SCSP)  programme  in Mancherial  district  of  Telangana  State.  During  2021-26,  improved  and  location-specific varieties of major rainfed crops were introduced in Kotapally mandal of Mancherial district, to enhance productivity and resilience of cropping systems, along with interventions in soil health management, promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties, and establishment of 27 Custom Hiring Centres. While certain pockets of Jagtial district fall under rainfed conditions, the district is predominantly irrigated, with about 2,67,430 acres under irrigation and about 19,956  acres  under  rainfed  agriculture,  confined  to  a  few  mandals  such  as  Buggaram, Dharmapuri, Endapalli, Gollapalle, Pegadapalle, Velgatoor, Beerpur, Jagtial Rural, Kodimial, and Raikal; however, these areas remain vulnerable to rainfall variability and dry spells.  Further,  livelihood  support  measures  include  investment  support  under  Rythu Bharosa/Rythu  Bandhu,  crop  compensation  in  case  of  losses,  strengthening  of  irrigation infrastructure,  promotion  of  crop  diversification,  and  continuous  extension  support  with weather-based advisories, along with capacity-building and livelihood diversification activities for farmers.

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