Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has said the state government is prepared to borrow if necessary to support farmers affected by the severe drought, as he reviewed crop losses and rural distress in Raichur district on October 8. The government has announced ₹1,250 crore in relief, released funds for drinking water and fodder, and ordered measures to protect farm power supply and rural employment.
Parameshwara, who also holds the revenue portfolio, made the statement after inspecting damaged tur crops in Umalooti and Kalmangi villages of Sindhanur taluk. Speaking to farmers in Kalmangi, he said ₹2,500 was being provided to each farmer under the state’s relief package. He also said the Union government’s compensation provision was ₹8,000, while the state was taking additional steps to assist affected farmers.
Of Karnataka’s 240 taluks, 217 have already been declared drought-affected, according to the Deputy Chief Minister. The remaining taluks are also facing the risk of drought, he said. The lack of rain has damaged crops that had already been sown, leaving farmers under financial pressure.
The government has released ₹306 crore for drinking-water arrangements in different parts of the state, while ₹25 crore has been provided through deputy commissioners to fodder banks for livestock feed and fodder kits. The combined allocation for drinking water and fodder measures is ₹331 crore. Officials have also been instructed to ensure six hours of continuous electricity supply to farmers’ pump sets and to resolve technical faults quickly.
The field inspection brought individual crop losses and gaps in existing support systems into the government review. Parameshwara visited a roughly 20-acre tur-crop field belonging to farmer Beeramallappa Nayak in Survey No. 92 at Umalooti. Nayak said he had sown four quintals of tur seed, but the crop had been completely destroyed because rain did not arrive on time. He sought compensation of ₹50,000 per acre.
At Kalmangi, Parameshwara inspected the damaged tur crop in the field of Nagamma Sharanegowda in Survey No. 14. Farmer Hanumangowda said he paid ₹30,000 every year for crop insurance on his 12-acre holding, but had not received compensation for three years. He said this year’s tur crop had dried up completely and that it had become difficult to sustain his livelihood.
The visit also exposed delays in rural wage payments. Parameshwara directed district officials to provide more work under the rural employment guarantee scheme to prevent farmers and agricultural labourers from migrating during the drought. He asked deputy commissioners and chief executive officers of zilla panchayats to ensure weekly wage payments.
Farmer Basavaraj told the Deputy Chief Minister that wages had not been paid for one and a half months and that only ₹102 had been credited for work completed in the previous month. When Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Eshwar Kumar Kandu referred to technical issues, Parameshwara instructed officials to resolve them with the concerned secretary rather than delay payments to workers.
Parameshwara said ministers and officials had reviewed the drought situation in June and that a four-day special session had been held at Vidhana Soudha to discuss the crisis with opposition parties. The immediate measures announced during the field visit include crop-loss assistance, drinking-water and fodder funding, farm electricity supply and expanded rural employment. District officials are responsible for implementing the payment, fodder, water and power-related directions.
