Karnataka Urges Centre to Declare Drought a 'Calamity of National Significance'
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting that the ongoing drought in Karnataka be declared a 'calamity of national significance'. The state seeks enhanced assistance commensurate with such a classification.
In his letter, Dr. Parameshwara highlighted the exceptional scale of rainfall deficit, the emerging drinking water crisis, and the severe impact on agriculture and rural livelihoods. He argued that a national calamity declaration would strengthen the state's ability to undertake mitigation measures and protect vulnerable communities.
Karnataka recorded a 42% rainfall deficit in June and a further 34% deficit in July. Even Bengaluru, the capital, saw a 34% deficit. Preliminary assessments indicate that nearly 80% of the sown crop has been lost in several affected areas due to inadequate rainfall and high temperatures.
Districts with exceptionally high deficits include Vijayanagara (61%), Mysuru (55%), Kodagu (51%), Chikkamagaluru (48%), Davangere (47%), Haveri (46%), Shivamogga (44%), Kalaburagi (43%), Dakshina Kannada (43%), and Bidar (40%), showing the crisis spans multiple agro-climatic regions.
Dr. Parameshwara also pointed to structural issues in the implementation of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) framework during the 2023 drought. He urged the Centre to address procedural constraints before assessing the current situation to ensure timely and equitable relief.
A key concern is the reliance on the 2015-16 Agriculture Census to determine Small and Marginal Farmer (SMF) holdings. The state's FRUITS database shows 83% of landholdings are now SMF, compared to 44% in the census. The average landholding size has shrunk from 3.2 hectares (1970-71) to 1.35 hectares (2015-16). Using outdated data would deprive deserving farmers of assistance, he argued.
The Deputy CM urged acceptance of the FRUITS database for NDRF assistance and harmonisation of the Drought Manual 2020 with current realities.
