Karnataka May Add 25 More Taluks To Drought Hit List

Karnataka could soon expand its drought affected list, with another 25 taluks reportedly meeting the required criteria for a drought declaration. Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dr G Parameshwara said the second phase of assessment is expected to be completed shortly.

The state has already declared 101 taluks as drought affected. Assessment work is continuing in other areas, and the government is examining conditions before issuing further notifications.

Parameshwara said the assessment is being carried out using scientific methods rather than political considerations. Satellite images, field inspections and technical studies are being used to understand the extent of the drought situation in different parts of Karnataka.

The assessment is being conducted in phases because rainfall and crop conditions can change during the agricultural season. According to the minister, the government will continue monitoring the situation as long as both the southwest monsoon and subsequent rainfall remain deficient in affected areas.

The possibility of the drought affected list crossing 200 taluks has also emerged. Parameshwara said around 200 taluks were declared drought affected during the previous year and a similar or higher number could face the situation this year.

He added that most parts of Karnataka are experiencing drought conditions, with coastal areas being relatively different from several other regions of the state.

The issue has also become a point of discussion among legislators. Some MLAs have alleged that their constituencies are facing serious drought conditions but have been left out of the declared list. Responding to these concerns, Parameshwara said there was no reason for people to worry because the assessment process was still underway.

The Deputy Chief Minister rejected allegations that some taluks were deliberately excluded from the list. He said drought declarations were not based on political affiliations and pointed out that taluks represented by opposition MLAs were also included among the areas already declared drought affected.

According to Parameshwara, the government cannot simply declare drought areas independently without following the prescribed process if it wants to seek financial assistance from the central government.

He said Karnataka is therefore following the guidelines laid down by the Centre while identifying and notifying drought affected areas. The scientific assessment and prescribed procedure are intended to ensure that requests for central drought relief can be considered under the applicable rules.

The government is expected to announce the next set of drought affected taluks after the ongoing assessment is completed. The final number could change depending on rainfall patterns, field reports and the findings of technical teams.

Meanwhile, Parameshwara also addressed questions about reported differences within the AHINDA alliance. The issue came up after reports suggested that Satish Jarkiholi and Dr H C Mahadevappa were not invited to a recent programme organised by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Federation to felicitate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Parameshwara clarified that the programme should not be viewed as an AHINDA convention. He said there was no division within the group and rejected suggestions that its leadership had split into different factions.

His comments come as the state government continues to deal with drought related concerns while political discussions around the issue remain active. For now, the focus is on completing the assessment and identifying the taluks that qualify for official drought status.