MYSURU: Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the state government has declared 101 taluks in Karnataka as drought-hit. Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Parameshwara said the situation would be reviewed for another 15 days, after which more taluks could be brought under the drought-hit category.
He said the government would submit a detailed drought memorandum to the Centre by the end of August or in the first week of September. Crop losses are being assessed and the memorandum will be prepared based on the findings. Subsequently, Central teams are expected to visit the state to conduct a survey before drought relief is released.
The deputy chief minister said the government would decide on the compensation to be provided to farmers on a per-acre basis. The immediate priority, he said, was to ensure drinking water, fodder for livestock and measures to prevent landslides. “During the 2023 drought, the State suffered losses of around Rs 39,000 crore and submitted a proposal seeking Rs 18,000 crore in assistance. We went to Delhi and protested, and following the Supreme Court’s intervention, Rs 3,500 crore was released,” he said.
Parameshwara said he had already requested the Centre to ensure timely assistance this year. “The memorandum has been prepared according to the prescribed criteria for declaring drought. Let the Centre verify it and provide the compensation due to us. The Centre has decided to provide Rs 1,200 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). We have requested that the amount be released immediately,” he said.