Mandal level committees to oversee El Niño mitigation measures in Telangana

The reservoir bed of Manjeera Project in Sangareddy district dried up, on Tuesday (October 27, 2026). Telangana tasks mandal coordination committees with multiple responsibilities aimed at mitigating impact of El Niño on water availability, agriculture and rural livelihoods. | Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF

The Telangana government has ordered constitution of mandal coordination committees in all rural mandals to mitigate the impact of El Niño on , water availability, agriculture, livestock and rural livelihoods. Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department issued a government order (G.O.) on Wednesday (October 28, 2026), under VB-G RAM G Act. io

As per the G.O. issued by Special Chief Secretary M. Dana Kishore, the committees will be chaired by MPDO with AEEs of Panchayat Raj, Irrigation and Rural Water Supply (RWS), Mandal Agriculture Officer (MAO), Veterinary Officer, Horticulture Officer as members and Mandal Panchayat Officer (MPO) as convenor.

Protecting livestock is one of the agendas of Telangana forming mandal coordination committees to mitigate impact of El Niño. File | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Responsibilities

They will be responsible for effectively planning, coordinating and monitoring eligible works while ensuring wage employment, monitoring person-days and timely wage payments, identifying 35,959 Minor Irrigation (MI) tanks for community fodder development through Self Help Groups/Village Organisations and individual farmers with borewells. Construction and repair of cattle troughs for livestock drinking water, drinking water security measures in coordination with RWS, livelihood works like cattle, goat and sheep sheds too are part of the responsibilities.

The committees also have to ensure water conservation works are executed including development of MI tanks, feeder channels, farm ponds, magic soak pits, borewell recharge structures, rooftop rainwater harvesting and check dams, and rural core infrastructure like roads, culverts, Gram Panchayat (GP) buildings and Anganwadi buildings. Besides, they have to ensure convergence with allied departments, village-level coordination, field inspections and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns on water conservation through Kala Jathas under Samskruthika Saradhi.

The committees shall meet weekly under the chairmanship of the MPDO, review GP-wise progress, and submit a weekly status report to the respective District Collectors, except in Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts.

Published - October 29, 2026 12:49 pm IST