Andhra Pradesh chief minister orders emergency actions as drought grips three quarters of state

In response to El Niño-driven dryness, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a morning review at a camp office to evaluate the drought’s spread across Andhra Pradesh, where roughly three-quarters of the state is suffering. Officials reported that a preliminary survey for the 2026 kharif season identified 513 mandals in 28 districts with drought-like conditions, 268 of them severe. Naidu ordered a detailed, data-driven assessment using rainfall records, groundwater levels, satellite imagery and reservoir data, demanding a formal declaration of affected mandals by October 1.

He tasked district collectors to submit proposals on September 24, to be reviewed at a state committee on September 29. The plan emphasizes micro-irrigation to conserve limited water and the deployment of tanker-delivered drinking water where borewells are insufficient. High-risk crops covering 1,357 Rythu Seva Kendras in 21 districts, including oranges, mangoes and vegetables, were highlighted for urgent support.