General
14h ago EN
Shivakumar seeks 50 pc drought relief from Centre
Bengaluru, Sep 23 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release 50 per cent of the drought relief amount the state sought as interim financial assistance, citing the worsening drought situation across Karnataka. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shivakumar said the state had initially submitted a Kharif 2026 Drought Memorandum seeking Rs 3,705.30 crore in financial assistance for immediate relief measures in 101 drought-declared taluks. He said the drought situation had worsened across the state and, based on a scientific assessment carried out as per the parameters prescribed under the Manual for Drought Management, the Karnataka government had declared an additional 76 taluks drought-affected. “With this, as on date, a total of 177 taluks have been declared as drought-affected,” Shivakumar said in the letter. The Chief Minister said more than 200 taluks could ultimately be declared drought-affected by the end of the South-West Monsoon 2026 season. He added that officials were assessing losses and damages in the additional drought-declared areas and would submit an additional memorandum seeking financial assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) after the assessment was complete. Shivakumar highlighted the importance of the South-West Monsoon for Karnataka, stating that rainfall between June and August was critical not only for sustaining Kharif agriculture but also for replenishing reservoirs, hydropower generation, fodder availability, and groundwater recharge. He said the substantial rainfall deficit during the current monsoon had affected all these sectors. He also expressed concern over low reservoir storage, particularly in the Cauvery basin, stating that it could adversely affect drinking water availability in Bengaluru and adjoining districts in the coming months. “With the South-West Monsoon entering its final phase and the state continuing to experience substantial cumulative rainfall deficit, the drought situation is likely to further intensify during the coming months and become more acute during the summer season,” he said. Shivakumar said the continued deterioration in rainfall and moisture conditions was also likely to result in large-scale crop losses, which could exceed 40 lakh hectares. He pointed out that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was proposed to visit Karnataka for a first-hand assessment of the losses and damages. The IMCT report would then be placed before the Sub-Committee of the National Executive Committee, followed by the High-Level Committee's consideration of its recommendations. However, he said the established assessment and approval process was time-consuming, particularly given the rapidly evolving drought situation. “In view of the severity and progressive intensification of the drought situation, it is therefore requested that 50 per cent of the memorandum amount be released as interim financial assistance, pending completion of the prescribed assessment and approval process,” Shivakumar said. He added that timely assistance would enable the state government to initiate and sustain immediate relief measures, particularly input subsidy assistance for crop losses, drinking water supply, livestock protection and other essential drought-relief interventions. Shivakumar also requested the Centre to release the central share of the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in advance to augment the resources available to the state government for undertaking timely relief measures. --IANS mka/dan
