Karnataka has declared 23 additional taluks drought-affected, taking the total number of drought-affected taluks in the state to 124, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said on September 18.
Of the newly added taluks, 21 have been classified as severely drought-affected and two as moderately drought-affected. The decision follows an assessment of rainfall received between June 1 and September 16, soil moisture, crop conditions and other scientific indicators, according to the minister’s statement reported by Prajavani.
The 21 taluks classified as severely drought-affected are Tiptur, Karatagi, Manvi, Sindhanur, Sirwar, Afzalpur, Aland, Chittapur, Kalaburagi, Yadrami, Shahabad, Bhalki, Basavana Bagewadi, Babaleshwar, Tikota, Rattihalli, Hubballi, Navalgund, Hubballi City, Annigeri and Kadur. Ponnampet and Virajpet have been classified as moderately drought-affected.
The latest declaration expands the administrative area eligible for drought-related assessment and potential government action. However, the report does not specify the relief package or financial assistance that will follow the classification. The immediate focus is on establishing the extent of crop damage through field verification.
The government has selected 53 taluks across 17 districts for third-stage ground-level assessment. Officials will visit farms in the selected villages on September 19 and 20 to verify crop damage directly. District commissioners and other concerned officials have been instructed to submit their final reports by September 21.
The field assessment will use the Crop Loss GT mobile application. The application is intended to record geotagged photographs, GPS information, land details and the extent of crop damage at the location itself. The stated objective is to make the verification process more accurate and transparent and to ensure that farmers facing genuine crop losses are not left out of the documentation.
Parameshwara said the government would continue monitoring drought conditions until the end of the monsoon season. He also said additional taluks could be brought under ground-level verification in a further phase if necessary.
The move comes after the government had earlier declared 101 taluks drought-affected. The increase to 124 reflects a wider administrative recognition of drought conditions based on the latest rainfall, soil-moisture and crop-status assessment, although the final extent of assistance for affected farmers will depend on subsequent verification and government decisions.
The next formal milestone is the submission of district-level reports by September 21. Those reports are expected to provide the recorded basis for further action on crop loss and drought response in the newly assessed areas.
