Karnataka Requests 7,142 Crore in Central Drought Relief
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other Karnataka leaders are seeking over 7,000 crore from the Union government to mitigate massive crop losses and water shortages.
The Government of Karnataka has requested 7,142.64 crore in drought relief from the Union government to address widespread crop losses and water shortages. The state has declared 217 of its 240 taluks drought-hit, with officials estimating total economic losses at 46,324.5 crore. The request evolved from an initial demand for 3,705.30 crore to the current higher figure as more taluks were assessed.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara briefed a high-level Central Inter-Ministerial Drought Assessment Team led by Joint Secretary Ajit Kumar Sahu during a visit starting October 3. Parameshwara reported approximately 82% crop loss, specifically affecting maize and red gram, and noted that recent rainfall was insufficient to resolve drinking water concerns. The state is seeking assistance under existing National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund norms rather than a special package.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the center to use updated Bhoomi land records for input subsidies instead of outdated 2015-16 census data. While the state government has provided 2,500 in immediate relief to farmers, leaders emphasize that central aid is a humanitarian imperative to prevent a systemic standstill in the agricultural sector.
