Minister assures financial aid to drought-affected farmers through banks

With the farming community facing severe drought conditions due to the impact of El Niño, Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu has assured that the State government would stand firmly by the affected farmers with a clear plan to provide financial assistance through commercial or cooperative banks, such as Prakasam District Central Cooperative Bank (PDCCB).

The Minister, along with Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Rajahmundry Rural MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, Ongole MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao, Kanigiri MLA Mukku Ugra Narasimha Reddy, Joint Collector Kalpana Kumari, and PDCC Bank Chairman K. Sitaramaiah, inaugurated modernised PDCCB headquarters in Ongole on Tuesday.

On the occasion, Mr. Atchannaidu said, “The State government is gathering comprehensive reports regarding the situation in drought-affected areas from all districts. The drought-hit areas and mandals will be officially declared by October 1, 2026. The cooperative banks play a pivotal role in continuously supporting the farming community and strengthening the rural economy.”

“In line with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision, the full-scale digitisation of cooperative banks will enable transparent and speedy services. This is expected to bring about revolutionary changes in the agricultural and cooperative sectors,” he added.

“The previous government had totally neglected the cooperative sector and weakened the system. It did not even hold elections and wasted time with three-member committees. It had been committing irregularities right from the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) at the lower level, up to the district and State levels,” the Minister alleged.

“A thorough probe is already being conducted into the corruption that took place in Guntur and Vijayawada cooperative banks. Criminal cases are being registered against those responsible and strict action will be taken,” he said, assuring that the government would provide full support to the financially distressed cooperative banks and help them overcome their losses.

On the same day, the Ministers unveiled statues of former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao and former Minister Damacharla Anjaneyulu in Pedakandlagunta village of Kondapi constituency. Addressing the gathering, Minister Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy heaped praise on NTR, calling him a visionary leader who transformed the lives of poor by introducing revolutionary welfare and development schemes.

Remembering the development works carried out by the former Minister in the region, he said, “Damacharla Anjaneyulu had provided solutions to long-standing issues that had plagued the area for decades. He had secured an enduring place in the hearts of the local people as a respected elder figure. He had facilitated better transportation by constructing roads and bridges in Kondapi.”