The Telangana government has decided in principle to seek assistance from the Centre for losses linked to El Niño conditions, after below-normal rainfall, drinking water shortages and a sharp rise in electricity demand affected the State. A Cabinet sub-committee will assess the damage and submit a report before an emergency Cabinet meeting finalises an action plan.
Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced the decisions after the 37th State Cabinet meeting held in Hyderabad. He said the monsoon had withdrawn from Telangana and rainfall was 17 per cent below normal. Although the overall deficit was 17 per cent, officials told the Cabinet that conditions were severe in 235 mandals.
The proposed assessment will cover losses caused by the weather conditions and recommend measures to address them. The government also plans to hold an all-party meeting before the emergency Cabinet meeting, inviting views from political parties, intellectuals and experts on El Niño and possible responses.
The Cabinet’s account linked the weather conditions not only to agricultural losses but also to drinking water shortages in parts of the State. The power sector recorded a substantial increase in consumption as demand rose during the season. Telangana’s usual daily power consumption is around 15,000 MW, but peak demand reached 19,892 MW.
To address the higher requirement, the Cabinet resolved to procure sufficient power to maintain uninterrupted supply. It also decided to prioritise new renewable generation and power procurement in view of future demand. The approved proposals have a combined capacity of approximately 7,800 MW, comprising 3,000 MW of solar power, a 4,000-MW Battery Energy Storage System and 800 MW of wind power.
The projects will be taken up through a bidding process in accordance with Central government regulations, the Minister said. The proposed storage capacity is part of the State’s response to rising electricity demand, although the Cabinet briefing did not provide project locations, commissioning schedules or estimated costs for the individual power projects.
The meeting also approved the release of two pending instalments of Dearness Allowance for government employees and pensioners. The instalments have been pending since 2024, and the arrears will be paid in instalments. The decision will impose an annual financial burden of Rs 2,500 crore on the State exchequer.
The Cabinet approved a dedicated policy for digital media advertising in Telangana, aligned with the digital advertising policy formulated by the Central government. It also reviewed pending matters connected with the 22-A controversy. Applications relating to the Urban Land Ceiling department and other departments, along with applications concerning Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation-approved layouts placed in the prohibited category, will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting.
Among its other decisions, the Cabinet directed officials to expedite work on a world-class integrated fruit market at Koheda in Abdullapurmet mandal, with an approved allocation of Rs 650 crore. It also instructed officials to cancel 10 incomplete projects undertaken under the engineering, procurement and construction mode, sanctioned a Deputy Commissioner post at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi and approved the appointment of four additional Group-I officers to represent the State government in Delhi.
The immediate next steps are the Cabinet sub-committee’s damage assessment, the proposed all-party consultation and the emergency Cabinet meeting at which the State’s response to the weather-related losses is expected to be considered.
