Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy has announced that nearly Rs 4000 crore more would be assigned to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) in the state to save the farm laborers from drought.

Speaking in the Assembly, Reddy said that villages which were facing drinking water scarcity would be supplied water with tankers, cattle centers would be established, a contingency plan was prepared for rabi season.

The CM also informed that only 32 suicides took place in the last two months and out of them only 25 were due to drought.

He said that there is no need to panic on this occasion.

Moreover, he asked the opposition parties to instill confidence among the farmers.

It is learnt that the CM will officially declare drought in the state on August 25.

Reddy said that the NREGP was of huge help to the farm laborers and about 50 lakh were being benefited by it.
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“We did every thing to handle drought. Nothing is left. After all we are here to look after the welfare of the people,’’ said Reddy.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties led by TDP criticized the state government for its failure in preventing suicides by distressed farmers in the state.

They also demanded that the state should come up with a Rs 10,000 crore package from the Union government for immediate relief measures.