Karnataka Seeks Rs.1,852.65 Crore Interim Drought Aid from Centre

Bengaluru, Sep 24: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release ₹1,852.65 crore as interim drought assistance, representing 50 per cent of the ₹3,705.30 crore sought by the state in its Kharif 2026 drought memorandum.

In a letter to Modi dated September 23, Shivakumar said the drought situation across Karnataka was worsening and sought immediate financial assistance pending completion of the Centre's assessment and approval process.

The state has declared another 76 taluks drought-affected, taking the total number of drought-hit taluks to 177. Karnataka expects the number to cross 200 by the end of the South-West Monsoon as ground-level assessments continue.

The state had initially sought ₹3,705.30 crore for immediate relief measures in 101 drought-declared taluks. The additional taluks were identified based on assessments carried out under the parameters prescribed in the Manual for Drought Management, 2020.

Shivakumar said Karnataka was assessing losses in the newly declared drought-hit areas and would submit an additional memorandum seeking assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

He said the substantial rainfall deficit had affected Kharif agriculture, reservoir storage, hydropower generation, fodder availability and groundwater recharge. Low reservoir storage, particularly in the Cauvery basin, could also put drinking water supplies in Bengaluru and neighbouring districts under pressure in the coming months, he warned.

With the South-West Monsoon entering its final phase and the state continuing to record a cumulative rainfall deficit, the situation could worsen during the summer. Shivakumar said crop losses could exceed 40 lakh hectares if the adverse rainfall and soil-moisture conditions persisted.

The request for interim assistance comes ahead of a proposed visit by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to assess the losses and damage. Shivakumar said the assessment, scrutiny and approval process would take time and sought the immediate release of 50 per cent of the memorandum amount to enable the state to undertake urgent relief measures.

The proposed funds would be used for measures including input subsidies for crop losses, drinking water supply, livestock protection and other drought-relief interventions.

Shivakumar also sought the advance release of the Centre's share of the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to augment the state's resources for tackling the worsening drought situation.