BENGALURU: With Karnataka facing severe drought conditions, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday sought Rs 7,142.64 crore in relief from the Centre, urging the Central drought assessment team to make a fair assessment of the losses and provide assistance as per National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) norms.
His request was to the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) led by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry Joint Secretary Ajit Kumar Sahu that arrived in Karnataka to assess the drought situation.
According to the state government, 177 taluks declared drought-affected have suffered an estimated loss of Rs 46,324.50 crore. Karnataka had initially declared 101 taluks drought-hit and sought around Rs 3,700 crore. After bringing another 76 taluks under the list, the relief demand was re-estimated at Rs 7,142.64 crore.
Shivakumar told the team that the drought-hit taluks were identified through a scientific assessment in accordance with the Centre’s disaster-management guidelines and without yielding to pressure. “Farmers are in severe distress. The Centre should come to their aid,” he said.
The situation is serious as there is a rainfall deficit across most parts of the state. Inflows into reservoirs are low, while urban areas too are facing drinking water concerns, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said the state briefed the central team on rainfall deficit, crop loss, drinking water availability, reservoir and lake storage, fodder availability, crop insurance, input subsidy and measures to prevent distress migration.
Ground-truthing to be conducted in 23 taluks
Parameshwara said the state has sought relief in two phases. Losses in the first phase are estimated at around Rs 18,000 crore, against which Karnataka has sought Rs 3,700 crore. In the second phase, losses in 77 additional drought-hit taluks are estimated at around Rs 27,000 crore with the state seeking another Rs 3,500 crore.
Together, the losses are around Rs 46,000 crore and the relief sought is around Rs 7,500 crore, he said.
Around 49 lakh farmers have enrolled for crop insurance, he said. Information on fodder availability, drinking water management and livelihood protection measures have been furnished to the central team. The central team has been divided into three groups to inspect different regions of the state, he added. He said Karnataka has suffered around 82% crop loss. Though it rained over the last few days, it will have little impact on the assessment.
“The rainfall over the past two or three days will not benefit crops that have already been damaged. Nor has there been enough rain to resolve drinking water concerns,” he said. The deficit recorded from June to September and the resultant crop loss will remain central to the assessment, he added.
Parameshwara said ground-truthing will be conducted in the remaining 23 taluks, and those that meet the criteria will be declared drought-affected.
The state has taken up works to generate around 1.27 lakh person-days of employment in drought-hit areas, besides taking measures for drinking water and fodder, and prevention of distress migration, he said.
Shivakumar referred to demands from sugarcane growers for higher prices and dairy farmers for an increase in milk procurement prices.
Central team leader Sahu assured Shivakumar that the team will spend the next few days assessing the ground situation and collecting data from state officials before submitting an objective report.
Parameshwara said, “We are not asking for any additional or special assistance. Our only request is that the situation be assessed fairly and that Karnataka receive what is due under the rules.”