Karnataka declares 101 taluks drought-hit; more may be added, Deputy CM says
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara announced on Saturday that the State government has declared 101 taluks as drought-affected, with a fresh review expected in 15 days that could bring more areas under the category. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Mysuru.
The Minister indicated that the drought memorandum would be submitted to the Centre by the end of August or the first week of September. “Crop losses are being assessed and, based on the assessment, we will prepare the report. Central teams will then visit the State and conduct an assessment, following which drought relief will be released,” he explained.
Regarding compensation, Dr. Parameshwara said the government would decide the quantum to be paid to farmers per acre after completing the assessment process.
Referring to the 2023 drought, he noted that Karnataka had suffered losses of around ₹39,000 crore and had sought ₹18,000 crore in relief from the Centre. “We had to protest in Delhi, and only after the Supreme Court’s intervention was ₹3,500 crore released. That situation should not be repeated this time. I have appealed to the Centre to ensure that what happened last time is not repeated,” he said.
The Minister said the memorandum would be prepared strictly in accordance with the prescribed drought-declaration norms, and urged the Centre to examine it and release the relief due to Karnataka.
On disaster response funds, Dr. Parameshwara said a decision had been made to provide around ₹1,200 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), but the amount was yet to be released. He explained that the State’s share is 25% and the Centre’s share is 75%. “We have asked the Centre to release the ₹1,200 crore immediately. Once the funds are released, it will enable us to provide relief to our farmers. We can disburse the amount to farmers within a week to 10 days,” he stated.
Replying to a question on the resignation of former Minister B. Nagendra, Dr. Parameshwara said Mr. Nagendra had not committed any offence and resigned due to political pressure. “The BJP politicised the issue and kept demanding his resignation. As a disciplined party worker, he resigned so that the government would not face embarrassment. There was no need for him to resign,” he said.
Asked whether former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had gone silent, Dr. Parameshwara dismissed the suggestion, saying, “Where has he gone silent? He attended the legislature session and was present in the House. He will take rest for a month or two and then resume his activities.” The remarks provide context on internal political dynamics but carry no further speculation.
