30 lakh acres face threat of drought
Major projects in Krishna and Godavari basins facing water deficit for past one year
Over 30 lakh acres of catchment areas under major irrigation projects in Telangana are threatened by drought this year.
The state government is not in a position to supply irrigation water for crops sown in these catchment areas as water levels in all major reservoirs are very low. No fresh inflows have been received in major dams and reservoirs after two months into the monsoon season.
Major projects in the Krishna and Godavari basins are facing a huge deficit of 534 Tmcft over last year, putting the fate of crops sown on lakhs of acres in jeopardy.
Inter-state trade from TS has taken a hit under the GST regime following the delay in registration of traders. Besides, allotment of provisional and GSTIN numbers have also been delayed.
Supply of electronic goods, pharma, paper, iron and steel products to other states have been impacted. Traders in other states are refusing to purchase stocks from Telangana state in the absence of GST registration and provisional numbers.
Officials put the loss at `3,500 crore to the state exchequer in July, the first month of GST, but hope to recover it in the coming months. Officials estimate a 30per cent reduction in inter-state trade last month.
The commercial taxes department had clocked 11 per cent growth in tax collections in the first quarter of current fiscal from April to June, when there was no GST. Officials expect the rate to come down the the second quarter which runs from July and September, on account of GST.
Out of over 2 lakh traders who have registered for GST in the state, provisional numbers were issued to only about 60 per cent.
Those who got provisional numbers are yet to receive their GST Identification Number. All trade transactions have to be done with GSTIN.
Officials blamed the GST Network, the IT backbone of GST enforcement, for the delay.
They said the network had been facing frequent technical glitches due to heavy load.