Revanth Reddy Government Faces Drought Test as 2015-16 El Niño Lessons Resurface

The Congress government led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy faces growing scrutiny as Telangana contends with drought conditions, drawing comparisons to how the previous KCR-led administration managed the severe 2015-16 El Niño crisis. A detailed analysis by Telangana Today highlights the emergency measures, financial allocations and infrastructure projects that defined the state’s response a decade ago, offering a benchmark for evaluating current governance.

When the 2015 southwest monsoon recorded a 15% rainfall deficit and the northeast monsoon a staggering 76% shortfall, groundwater levels in Telangana fell by 2.78 metres. The KCR government declared 231 mandals across seven districts as drought-affected through GO Ms No 6, Revenue (Disaster Management) Department, dated November 24, 2015. The districts included Mahabubnagar (64 mandals), Medak (46), Nizamabad (36), Ranga Reddy (33), Nalgonda (33), Warangal (22) and Karimnagar (19).

Por que importa

Emergency Water and Financial Measures
The immediate priority was ensuring drinking water reached affected populations. Under GO Ms No 2, Revenue (DM-II) Department, dated June 15, 2015, Rs 55 crore was allocated as revolving funds to district Collectors for urgent drought-related needs. An additional contingency allocation exceeding Rs 100 crore was made through Panchayat Raj, Rural Water Supply and Urban Local Bodies.

District administrations were authorised to hire private borewells, deploy water tankers, repair pumps, deepen tubewells and lay HDPE pipelines. These decentralised measures allowed local officials to act quickly without waiting for central approvals. For Hyderabad, the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project drawing from the Sripada Yellampalli Barrage was inaugurated by KCR on November 24-25, 2015, providing an estimated 86-172 million gallons per day (MGD). Emergency arrangements also drew water from Nagarjuna Sagar and Akkampally to secure the city’s supply.

Contexto

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| Measure | Details |
|———|———|
| Drought-declared mandals | 231 across 7 districts |
| Revolving fund for Collectors | Rs 55 crore |
| Contingency allocation | Over Rs 100 crore |
| Hyderabad water project capacity | 86-172 MGD |

Agriculture and Livelihood Support
The drought’s impact on agriculture was severe. The government implemented a second instalment of the farm-loan waiver involving approximately Rs 2,019 crore under GO Ms No 69, Agriculture and Cooperation (Agri II) Department, dated August 13, 2014. It maintained nine hours of free three-phase electricity for agricultural connections and promoted subsidised short-duration crops including pulses, bajra, castor and sunflower as alternatives suited to dry conditions.

Employment support was enhanced when the Ministry of Rural Development increased Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme entitlement from 100 to 150 days per rural household in designated drought-affected areas on September 14, 2015.

Livestock Protection Measures
For rural households, livestock represents both productive assets and financial security. The relief package included cattle feed at a 50% subsidy, with an initial allocation of 50 tonnes per drought-affected mandal. More than 490 tonnes of silage bales were supplied, along with fodder seeds and promotion of neeti thotlu (water troughs). Veterinary interventions covered vaccination against enterotoxaemia, sheep pox and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), while livestock markets were monitored.

What This Means for Hyderabad and Telangana Readers
For residents of Hyderabad and surrounding districts, the 2015-16 response demonstrates that effective drought management requires both immediate relief and long-term infrastructure investment. The city’s drinking-water security during that crisis relied on projects like the Godavari scheme and emergency draw from Nagarjuna Sagar. Today, the Congress government’s ability to maintain similar water security, sustain agricultural support and protect rural livelihoods will determine public confidence.

The analysis by Telangana Today notes that the current administration has increasingly focused on criticising the previous government rather than presenting its own solutions. For readers in Hyderabad and across Telangana, the practical question remains whether the Revanth Reddy government can deliver comparable emergency measures and infrastructure resilience when drought returns.

Source: Telangana Today – Rewind: When the 2015–16 El Niño struck Telangana—the drought lesson Revanth needs today (https://telanganatoday.com/rewind-when-the-2015-16-el-nino-struck-telangana-the-drought-lesson-revanth-needs-today)

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