Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has sought an urgent release of ₹20,585.73 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund to respond to the state’s severe drought, citing a 35% shortfall in southwest monsoon rainfall and crop losses across 57.93 lakh hectares. He sent separate letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on the assistance request.
According to the details cited in the letters, Karnataka received 551 mm of rainfall during the 2026 southwest monsoon against the normal 852 mm. Parameshwara said this was the state’s second-lowest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1956 and the seventh-lowest since 1901. The state government has declared 226 taluks drought-affected.
The estimated economic loss from the drought is ₹62,481.88 crore, calculated on the basis of agricultural production costs, the Deputy Chief Minister said. Of the affected area, 53.92 lakh hectares comprise agricultural crops and 4.01 lakh hectares comprise horticultural crops.
The state’s central assistance request includes ₹6,128.70 crore as input subsidy for crop losses and ₹12,146.99 crore as livelihood support for 61.91 lakh small and marginal farmers. It has also sought ₹1,727 crore for drinking water supply and ₹583.04 crore for animal husbandry and livestock protection.
Parameshwara has proposed livelihood assistance calculated at ₹327 per day for 60 days for small and marginal farmers whose incomes have been affected by the drought. The state has additionally sought support to establish 476 cattle shelters and 583 fodder banks for livestock protection.
The request also raises concerns about the data used to determine crop-loss compensation. Parameshwara said the existing calculations continue to rely on agricultural census data from 2015–16. Using outdated data could result in an estimated shortfall of about ₹1,669.50 crore in assistance to Karnataka, he said. The state has asked the Centre to consider its updated Fruits database to identify beneficiaries more accurately and assess relief requirements.
The drought request extends beyond farm compensation. Karnataka has sought an additional ₹427.20 crore under the PM POSHAN scheme to provide nutritious food to schoolchildren in drought-affected taluks during the summer vacation. It has also requested ₹70.96 crore under the supplementary nutrition programme for vulnerable beneficiaries.
The Deputy Chief Minister has argued that crop-loss compensation norms should be revised because agricultural input costs have continued to rise. He also linked the requested revision to the period covered by the 16th Finance Commission. The letters emphasised the need for coordination between the Union and state governments to protect agriculture-based livelihoods and address the drought crisis.
The immediate next step is the Union government’s consideration of Karnataka’s consolidated memorandum and its request for ₹20,585.73 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund.
