The Andhra Pradesh government recently declared early drought in 21 of its 28 districts.These include 388 of 688 mandals of which 283 have been classified as ‘severely affected’ and 105 ‘moderately affected’ in the government order (GO) issued on October 1 for the South-West Monsoon 2026 Kharif season.Now, Opposition YSRCP has slammed the government, alleging that it delayed drought declaration despite conditions becoming severe “from the first week of September itself”.Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that interlinking of Godavari and Cauvery river systems can make southern states drought-free.Also Read | No Dussehra or Diwali here: Yavatmal’s dry fields leave farmers counting lossesFormer Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) State General Secretary Gadikota Srikanth Reddy said Rayalaseema region has been facing the brunt of the rainfall deficit, with 186 of the 388 drought-declared mandals located in the region. As many as 159 of the 283 severe-drought mandals are also situated there, he said.He further alleged that nearly seven lakh borewells had dried up by August, while mango and citrus orchards were withering and farmers were relying on tankers to save plantations.The YSRCP also slammed the government for not including Nellore in the drought-hit districts, claiming that several mandals there received less rainfall.‘Rayalaseema region will flourish if…’Story continues below this adReferring to the drought-like conditions in the state, CM Naidu on Monday said, “While drought conditions prevail, 2,000 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of river water is flowing into the sea. If at least 200 TMC of Godavari floodwater is utilised, the Rayalaseema region will flourish with abundant greenery and crops. He was speaking at the launch of the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 – Amarajeevi Jaladhara’ programmes in Proddatur in YSR Kadapa district.A high-level committee, in a meeting held on September 30, recommended early declaration of drought in 21 of the state’s 26 districts, instead of waiting for the October 31 deadline for declaration of the 2026 Kharif season drought.The 21 districts included in the list are Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR district, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Prakasam, Markapuram, Kurnool, Nandyal, Ananthapuramu, Sri Satya Sai, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya and Chittoor.The order, issued by the Revenue (Disaster Management) Department, comes amid a sharp deficit in rainfall across the state, amplified by prevailing El Niño conditions.Story continues below this ad“Due to a 53.4% rainfall deficit recorded during the months of June-August, 2026, and the prevailing El Niño conditions, by taking into consideration the relevant drought indicators based on data available for the period from June to August, 2026, it is proposed to undertake an early declaration of drought for Kharif-2026. An average rainfall of 197.6 mm has been received against the normal rainfall of 424.3 mm from June 1 to August 31,” the order states.The declaration was made as per the Manual for Drought Management, 2016, issued by the Government of India.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More Tags:Andhra Pradesh