"rabi-season"

Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday instructed district Collectors to deploy all available trucks and vans for paddy transport, even diverting vehicles from non-priority uses.

The Telangana Civil Supplies Department has procured 12.38 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the Rabi 2025-26 season. Payments worth Rs 1,129.43 crore under the Minimum Support Price scheme have been directly credited to the accounts of 1.54 lakh farmers.

The Telangana government is preparing extensively for Rabi paddy procurement, targeting 90 lakh metric tonnes under MSP operations. With production expected to exceed 148 lakh metric tonnes, over 8,251 purchase centres are being opened across districts, backed by storage and logistics infrastructure.

The CPI(M)-affiliated Telangana Rythu Sangham has accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of attempting to dismantle the cooperative system by nominating Congress workers to cooperative societies. District secretary Bonthu Rambabu announced district-wide protests beginning December 27, warning that abandoning farmer-led elections would harm the cooperative structure.

Telangana is witnessing one of its most water-abundant years, with key reservoirs across the Krishna and Godavari basins nearing full capacity. Despite crop damage from Cyclone Montha, the rainfall has ensured robust irrigation prospects for the upcoming Rabi season.

Telangana is preparing for a projected power demand of over 19,000 MW during the Rabi and summer seasons. Officials have announced major upgrades including new substations, transformer installations, and completion of overhaul works at key power plants. The Yadadri Thermal Power Station is set to add 4,000 MW soon.

Telangana has received 31 per cent excess rainfall due to an extended southwest monsoon, leading to flash floods and crop damage across several districts. While kharif crops like paddy and cotton suffered, the rains have replenished groundwater and reservoirs, promising a well-supported rabi season.

Despite heavy monsoon rains filling Telangana’s reservoirs, farmers remain wary of a repeat of last year’s irrigation failures. The 2024–25 Rabi season was marred by poor water distribution despite SCIWAM’s planning.

Kharif sowing has gained momentum in Telangana with improved rainfall, but a severe urea shortage persists. Protests have erupted across districts, as farmers face inflated prices and supply gaps, with the State-Centre blame game stalling resolution of the crisis.

Over four lakh fine paddy farmers in Telangana are facing financial hardship as the promised Rs. 500 per quintal bonus remains unpaid for the Rabi 2025 season.

Telangana farmers are facing severe hardships as unseasonal rains, accompanied by gales and hailstorms, continue to wreak havoc across different districts

Works proposed to restore the project are moving at snail’s pace. Farmers under the ayacut of the project have already lost kharif and rabi seasons and they are set to lose yet another kharif season as the project is unlikely to be repaired by the time monsoon sets in

Untimely rains, inordinate delay in Rythu Bharosa input assistance, lack of smooth procurement system add to their challenges

Tense situation prevailed in Kolanupaka village of Telangana as villagers staged a protest and grilled government Whip Beerla Ilayya on the failure of Congress government to quench their thirst and save their crops

With power demand increasing steadily this season, the energy department has directed its engineers to be more alert as the peak demand is expected to cross 17,500 MW in the summer. The highest peak demand of 16,601 MW was recorded on February 26

Farmers in Stage II of the project initiate protests over uncertainty surrounding irrigation support

With possibilities of the demand further picking up in March-April, the government has taken a number of steps to ensure that the growing demand was met, the officials said, adding that the power utilities were successfully able to meet the power demand of the season without any network constraints or power outages.

Despite a year-long exercise, the final report is unlikely to be completed before the December 31 deadline set by the government

The State government has planned the allocation of 350 TMC of water for the season, but no water is expected from the three barrages of Kaleshwaram.

Farmers believe that the government should have prioritized the continuation of the Rythu Bandhu Scheme, even if it meant deferring the crop loan waiver initiative, which also has not been fully implemented yet