The Andhra Pradesh government has given a go ahead to cloud seeding operations from July 15, which will continue for 120 days, to trigger rains in over 12 'rainshadow' districts.
This will be the sixth consecutive year of cloud seeding over the state, but this time it has assumed large significance in view of the failure of monsoon thus far.
According to sources, the program will cost Rs 35 crore against 24 crore spent last year and it will include hiring of three aircraft and installation of three radars for monitoring and identifying rain-bearing clouds.
The program will cover four districts of Rayala Seema region, three districts in southern coastal Andhra and four districts of Telangana, which traditionally get less rainfall.
But the decision of the state government to give green signal for cloud seeding operations for the next five years has come as a surprise, as some senior officials had taken objection to it on the ground that its benefits were not verifiable.
Earlier, the then principal secretary, agriculture S Chellappa had sought a report from Collectors of the concerned districts to analyse the gains of the cloud seeding and send him a report. No report was ever received.
But sources, on the other hand, said the decision to go ahead with cloud seeding was taken on the basis of recommendations of a workshop of experts who assessed the cloud seeding from 2004 to 2008.
The company that will carry out the operation will be selected through a global tender, sources said.
The Andhra Pradesh government was worried over the failure of monsoon so far and most districts in the state had recorded a deficit rainfall of over 90 per cent in the first four weeks of South West monsoon.