Karnataka is preparing to declare 24 more taluks as drought-hit, taking the number of affected taluks to between 180 and 200 by the end of September, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre said in Bengaluru on Saturday. The proposed expansion comes as the state seeks ₹2,600 crore from the Centre for relief measures in the 101 taluks already declared drought-hit.
Speaking to reporters, Khandre said preparations were under way to add the 24 taluks to the drought-hit list. He said the number of officially recognised drought-hit taluks could reach 180 to 200 by the end of the month, but did not identify the locations of the additional taluks or provide a date for the notification.
Khandre attributed the reduced rainfall this year to the impact of El Niño. He said the state had already declared 101 taluks drought-hit and was reviewing the situation through a Cabinet subcommittee formed to examine the monsoon, drought conditions and other natural-disaster circumstances.
The subcommittee is chaired by Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara and includes Khandre as a member. According to the minister, the issue was discussed at a meeting held on Thursday, September 3. The review is intended to guide policy decisions and determine the measures required to manage the situation, he said.
Khandre said compensation for dryland and irrigated land would be provided through the National Disaster Response Fund. He also said the state was seeking ₹2,600 crore from the Centre to undertake relief measures in the 101 taluks that have already been declared drought-hit.
The minister added that the Chief Minister would decide on additional compensation for areas that had suffered severe crop damage. The statement did not specify the amount of any proposed additional assistance, the crops covered or the timeline for disbursement.
The proposed addition of 24 taluks would require the state to complete its assessment and issue the relevant declaration before relief measures linked to drought status can be extended to those areas. The minister did not provide details of the assessment criteria or the administrative process that would precede the notification.
Khandre also called on Karnataka’s Members of Parliament and opposition leaders to press the Union government for financial assistance for farmers affected by the drought. The state government’s request for ₹2,600 crore currently relates to the 101 taluks already declared drought-hit, while the final relief requirements for any newly added taluks were not stated.
The state government’s next steps are the completion of the review of additional taluks and a decision on their formal inclusion in the drought-hit list. A wider declaration covering 180 to 200 taluks is expected to be considered by the end of September, according to Khandre’s statement.
