BENGALURU: The State Government will identify and announce drought-hit taluks after its cabinet meeting on Thursday. The cabinet subcommittee, which met on Monday, stated that in the 113 taluks where a survey was conducted to assess the ground situation, 62 meet the norms set by the central government to be declared drought-hit. But as the situation has deteriorated in the remaining 51 taluks and another 83 taluks since the survey was conducted, deputy commissioners have been directed to conduct surveys of all these 134 taluks, said Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda.
He told the media that the state is facing a rain deficit since the onset of the southwest monsoon in June this year. There was a shortage of 56 per cent in June, while the state received good rainfall in July. But again in August, the shortage shot up to 73 per cent. From June 1 till September 4, the state should have received 711 mm of rain but got only 526 mm, which is a deficit of 26 per cent. The southern parts of the state are the worst hit.
Byregowda said the first set of ground truth survey reports hold good till August 19. However after the survey was conducted, the condition of crops declined in the remaining 51 taluks and an additional 83 taluks. The deputy commissioners in these areas have been told to conduct the survey and the report is likely to be ready within a week. “Once we get the report of 134 taluks, we will announce drought-hit taluks,’’ he said.
Govt mulls task force in each constituency
After the announcement, the state government plans to approach the Union government seeking help to tackle the situation. Also, the government is planning to constitute a task force in each assembly constituency and they will be headed by respective MLAs.
The subcommittee decided to release funds through the State Disaster Response Force and provide drinking water through tankers or borewells to places where there are drinking water issues. “Rs 20 crore will be given to the Animal Husbandry Department to provide fodder-growing seeds to farmers. The fodder is sufficient for 46 weeks now.
All these proposals will be kept before the cabinet for approval,” Byregowda said. There is no dearth of funds. Rs 520 crore available for disaster management in the accounts of all deputy commissioners, while chief executive officers of zilla panchayats have Rs 1 crore each and they are making arrangements to supply drinking water, he said.
To provide a source of income to the drought-affected people, the state government is planning to approach the central government to increase man days under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee scheme in taluks where there is drought. Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy and RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge attended the meeting.