Siddaramaiah Briefs Central Team on Drought Situation in Karnataka:
Three Central Government teams arrived in Bengaluru on Thursday for a four-day visit to assess the drought situation in Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to these Central teams to support the distressed farmers during this challenging period.
During discussions with the Central teams, the Chief Minister highlighted that Karnataka had experienced exceptionally low rainfall this season, a rare occurrence in the past 122 years. As a result, crops have suffered damage across approximately 42 lakh hectares of land.
Siddaramaiah informed the Central teams that the State Government had already declared 195 taluks as drought-affected, while 32 other taluks in the state did not meet the Central Government’s criteria for declaring drought. He emphasized the critical situation by explaining that even though fields may appear green at first glance, they lack the necessary water to thrive.
The Chief Minister also drew attention to the low water levels in the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir due to reduced rainfall in Madikeri district, which serves as the catchment area for the reservoir. He stressed that Karnataka is facing significant challenges due to the season’s inadequate rainfall, requiring approximately 33 tmc feet of water solely for drinking water needs.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that the number of small and marginal farmers in the state has increased in recent years and expressed the need for an increase in crop compensation for these farmers, as the current compensation levels, in accordance with NDRF guidelines, are insufficient.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, Secretary of the Revenue Department Rashmi Mahesh, and other relevant officials.
Also read: Tamil Nadu Government Issues Compensation Orders for Delta Farmers
