Koppal Drought: Minister Directs 25% Interim Crop Insurance Relief

Koppal district in Karnataka is grappling with severe drought conditions following a deficient southwest monsoon. In response, district in-charge minister Shivaraj Tangadagi has directed officials to ensure that farmers who have suffered extensive crop losses receive 25% interim crop insurance compensation at the earliest.

Chairing a progress review meeting on drought conditions and crop damage on Thursday, Mr. Tangadagi said nearly 80% of crops had been damaged across almost all taluks, leaving farmers in severe financial distress. He had toured different parts of the district over the past two days to assess the situation and crop losses.

The minister instructed the Deputy Commissioner to coordinate with insurance companies and ensure that 25% of the insured amount was released as interim relief without delay. “The crops sown by farmers have withered due to lack of rainfall, and many will not even recover their cultivation costs. Officials should closely monitor the process and ensure that insurance companies provide timely interim compensation,” he said.

Mr. Tangadagi also asked the Agriculture Department to create awareness among farmers about alternative crops suitable for the changed weather conditions. He suggested that the deadline for crop insurance enrolment be extended to enable more farmers to benefit from the scheme. He directed tahsildars, executive officers, agriculture officials and gram panchayat development officers to remain at their headquarters and respond promptly to farmers’ grievances. Insurance companies, he added, should not reject genuine claims on technical or unnecessary grounds.

Turning to drinking water and fodder, the minister instructed officials to accord equal priority to ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply in drought-hit areas. The state government has sanctioned ₹1 crore to each taluk for drinking water management. Officials have been asked to prepare action plans covering new borewells, pipeline works, repairs and hiring of private borewells after obtaining approval from local MLAs. With drought likely to intensify the water crisis in the coming months, he stressed the need for effective utilisation of funds.

Expressing concern over the impact of drought on livestock, Mr. Tangadagi directed officials to prevent fodder scarcity by establishing fodder banks and supplying fodder kits wherever necessary.

Deputy Commissioner Suresh B. Itnal informed the meeting that the district received only 98.5 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 4, against the normal 155.7 mm. Gangavathi and Karatagi taluks recorded severe rainfall deficiency, while other taluks also experienced below-normal rainfall. The sowing target for the district was 3,49,892 hectares, but only 2,41,995 hectares were covered, accounting for 69% of the target. In the corresponding period last year, about 3.74 lakh hectares had been sown.

According to the district administration, 1,90,667 hectares of crops have been damaged due to deficient rainfall. Of this, 1,56,013 hectares were covered under the crop insurance scheme, and a proposal has been submitted to the insurance company seeking interim compensation for affected farmers.

The interim relief is expected to provide immediate financial support to farmers who have lost their crops. The district administration has assured that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure timely disbursement and address the needs of affected families.

The meeting was attended by Leader of the Opposition’s Chief Whip and Kushtagi MLA Doddanagouda Patil, MLC Hemalatha Naik, district in-charge secretary K.P. Mohanraj, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Varnit Negi, Superintendent of Police Ram L. Arasiddi, and district and taluk-level officers.