Karnataka’s drought list could expand by another 8-10 taluks, or more, after ground-truthing reports are reviewed, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said on Friday. The state has already declared 217 taluks drought-hit and is assessing 23 additional taluks against prescribed criteria.
Parameshwara said the ground-truthing reports were expected on Friday or Saturday. The findings will determine whether the additional taluks qualify for inclusion in the drought-affected list, he told reporters in Bengaluru.
The state government will assess crop and other losses before calculating the assistance it seeks from the Centre, based on central guidelines. The findings and the requested relief will be compiled in a final memorandum, which will be submitted for examination by the Union government.
The possible expansion of the list comes as Karnataka prepares to seek financial support for drought response. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has proposed taking an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet the prime minister, the Union agriculture minister and the Union home minister, who is also responsible for disaster management.
“We want to take an all-party delegation. The chief minister has said so. We will request the Centre in person to provide assistance to the state during this distress situation,” Parameshwara said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government would appeal to opposition leaders to join the proposed delegation. If they declined, the government would proceed with its own delegation, he added. The final memorandum will include the state’s loss assessment and the amount of assistance sought.
The government has already held divisional-level meetings in Kalaburagi, Belagavi and Chitradurga to review drought conditions. Parameshwara said he and the Chief Minister had also visited districts to assess local problems. The latest ground-truthing exercise is therefore the next administrative step before the state finalises its request for central assistance.
Parameshwara also rejected allegations that the government had ignored the drought while responding to reports of an alleged sting operation involving the Chief Minister and some ministers. He said the government had acted after recognising the emerging drought conditions and had continued reviewing the situation through meetings and field visits.
The reports from the 23 taluks will determine whether Karnataka’s drought-hit list is expanded. The state government will then complete its loss assessment and submit the final memorandum to the Centre for a decision on relief.
