Bengaluru, 1 October

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, highlighting the economic crisis that the drought conditions have caused in the State and urged the Centre to expedite the release of Rs 7,142.64 crore for drought relief. Karnataka has so far not received any money from the Centre for drought-relief.

In separate letters to the two Union Ministers, Parameshwara noted that 177 taluks have so far been declared drought-affected in Karnataka, with crop losses estimated at Rs 46,324.5 crore, according to the state government's assessment.

Parameshwara stated that Karnataka has sought Rs 7,142.64 crore under NDRF norms, of which Rs 4,998.60 crore is to be used for input subsidy and Rs 2,144.04 crore for measures such as fodder and drinking water supply. 

But this would just be a “fraction” of what Karnataka’s farmers need, Parameshwara said, noting that ground-truthing is underway in another 40 taluks, and the number of drought-hit taluks is expected to cross 220 as the assessment progresses.

“Based on the ongoing assessment, the total crop loss during Kharif–2026 may exceed 55 lakh hectares,” Parameshwara, who also holds the Revenue portfolio, said. 

The extent of crop damage ranges between 33 per cent and 100 per cent, with a large portion of the affected area reporting losses of more than 50 per cent.

Tur, maize, cotton, sugarcane, soybean and green gram are among the major crops affected, while onion, arecanut and red chilli are among the horticultural crops damaged.

Parameshwara urged the Centre to revise the SDRF/NDRF relief norms, particularly the input subsidy provided to farmers. He also welcomed the arrival of Central teams to inspect drought hit regions in Karnataka.