Karnataka Chief Minister Orders Drinking Water Priority Amid Severe Drought

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar convened an emergency Cabinet meeting and a subsequent video conference with district officials on July 19, 2026, to address a severe drought driven by El Nino conditions. While initial reports cited a 30 percent rainfall deficit, updated assessments indicate a 68 percent deficit. To manage dwindling reservoirs, the government is reserving dam water exclusively for drinking purposes and has warned farmers in regions like Mandya against sowing water-intensive crops such as maize and sugarcane.

To mitigate the crisis, the state has allocated 1 crore rupees per rural taluk for drinking water and 329 crore rupees for relief works. Shivakumar ordered that newly drilled borewells be video-recorded to prevent fraudulent billing and warned officials that negligence or the submission of unverified reports would result in strict action. The administration is also expediting employment schemes to curb migration from districts including Ballari, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, and Vijayanagara.

Shivakumar has requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi deploy an inter-ministerial team for an on-ground assessment, though the central government has not yet responded. Meanwhile, the state continues to manage regional tensions with Tamil Nadu over the release of Cauvery river water, with the Chief Minister asserting that Karnataka's Members of Parliament will defend the state's position in the upcoming session.