El Nino induced rainfall deficit and drought mandal demands in AP
Source:The Hindu ↗
ఇది ఎందుకు ముఖ్యం
This article highlights the direct correlation between global climatic events (El Niño) and regional agricultural distress (drought in AP). It is crucial for understanding the multidimensional impacts on the agrarian economy and the government interventions required, such as crop insurance, MSP, and rural employment schemes like MGNREGS.
సారాంశం
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has urged the Andhra Pradesh government to declare 249 mandals as drought-hit due to a severe 56% rainfall deficit caused by El Niño. CPI State secretary G. Eswaraiah highlighted the drastic fall in Kharif cultivation and presented several demands to the Chief Minister, including the restoration of free crop insurance, farm loan waivers, provision of alternative crop seeds, immediate implementation of MGNREGS works, and a minimum support price for shrimp, to protect farmers' livelihoods and mitigate agricultural distress.
ముఖ్య అంశాలు
- El Niño conditions have resulted in a severe 56% rainfall deficit in Andhra Pradesh, prompting the CPI to demand 249 mandals be declared drought-hit.
- The total area under Kharif cultivation has drastically reduced to 16.35 lakh hectares from the normal 30.84 lakh hectares, affecting crops like paddy, cotton, and groundnut.
- CPI demands include full state subsidization of crop insurance premiums, free distribution of alternative crop seeds, and the immediate launch of MGNREGS works to provide relief.
- Additional relief measures proposed include farm loan waivers, a monthly pension for elderly farmers, identity cards for tenant farmers, and establishing a minimum support price (MSP) for shrimp.
ముఖ్యమైన పదాలు
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
Enacted in 2005, a landmark rights-based social security scheme that guaranteed 100 days of manual employment annually to rural households; officially succeeded by the VB-G RAM-JI scheme on July 1, 2026.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Governance/Social Justice) & GS Paper III (Employment); tests knowledge of employment welfare and legislative transitions.
Free Crop Insurance Scheme
An agricultural welfare program, exemplified by Andhra Pradesh's state-funded model, where the government bears the entire premium share for farmers under the PMFBY to provide risk coverage against crop failures.
UPSC context
GS Paper III (Agriculture/Subsidies); tests understanding of crop insurance mechanisms, state welfare initiatives, and risk-mitigation strategies.
Farm Loan Waiver
A policy intervention where the government writes off or repays the outstanding agricultural loans of farmers to provide immediate debt relief and mitigate severe rural distress caused by climatic or economic shocks.
UPSC context
GS Paper III (Economy/Agriculture); tests analysis of agrarian distress, fiscal impacts of debt forgiveness, and long-term credit culture.
Communist Party of India (CPI)
Founded in 1925, it is one of India's oldest political parties, operating on Marxist-Leninist principles to represent the interests of workers, peasants, and marginalized classes through mass struggles and electoral politics.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Polity/Governance); tests understanding of political ideology, national and regional parties, and democratic movements.
ప్రిలిమ్స్ ఉచ్చు
The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is the final authority to declare a region as drought-affected in India.
Under India's disaster management framework, the State Government is the sole and final authority to declare a drought. The Central Government's role is strictly limited to financial and logistical assistance.
అనుసంధానమైన స్థిర భావనలు
What is the framework and authority for declaring drought in India?
- State Authority: The State Government is the final authority to declare drought at local administrative levels (talukas/mandals/blocks).
- Primary Triggers: Requires two mandatory primary triggers (Rainfall Deviation and Dry Spell) to initiate the scientific assessment.
- Impact Indicators: Evaluates Crop Sown Area, Vegetation Indices (NDVI), Soil Moisture, and Hydrological Indices, followed by physical ground-truthing.
How does a drought notification modify the MGNREGS employment guarantee?
- Standard Limit: The act guarantees 100 days of unskilled manual work per rural household per financial year.
- Drought Extension: Allows an additional 50 days (total 150 days) of wage employment in districts officially notified as drought-affected.
- Funding Source: The cost of the additional 50 days is fully borne by the Central Government.
అంతర-అంశ నమూనాలు
Federalism in Disaster Finance
The financial friction between states demanding NDRF funds for droughts and the Centre's strict scientific assessments highlights operational tensions in fiscal and cooperative federalism.
Blue Economy vs. MSP Basket
As climate anomalies impact inland and coastal aquaculture, state-level price supports for shrimp reflect growing pressure to expand the Central MSP basket to allied sectors.
UPSC may test the multi-criteria triggers of the 2016 Drought Manual alongside the Centre-State financial division under the NDRF/SDRF.
అనుసంధాన PYQలు · 3
అనుసంధాన PYQలు · 3
- 2019APPSC_PRELIMSGS1
El-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years. Consider the following statements in this regard : A. The appearance of warm currents off the Coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific. B. The word El-Nino means 'Christ Child' because the current appears around Christmas in December. C. El-Nino was one of the reasons for the deficit rainfall in India (2014). Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- 2023APPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Which of the following is not a feature of MGNREGS? I. Guaranteed minimum wage employment II. Rights-based employment scheme III. Generation of wage employment in rural areas IV. Provision of nutritious food Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:
- 2023APPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Government of Andhra Pradesh is implementing YSR Rythu Bharosa - PM Kisan Scheme for the benefit of farmers of Andhra Pradesh. Which of the following statements are correct about the above scheme ?
