Bengaluru, Sep 24 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday announced an immediate input subsidy of Rs 2,500 per farmer in drought-hit areas, saying the state would spend Rs 1,250 crore on the assistance without waiting for drought relief from the Centre.
Replying to a discussion on the drought situation in the Legislative Assembly, Parameshwara said Karnataka had sought Rs 3,800 crore from the Centre and estimated losses in 101 taluks at Rs 18,000 crore.
He urged the Centre to declare the drought a national disaster and send a Central team to assess the situation.
“We will not simply wait for NDRF assistance. Without waiting for NDRF money, we have decided to provide an input subsidy of Rs 2,500 per farmer. Rs 2,500 for each farmer. This will cost the state exchequer Rs 1,250 crore,” he said.
He said another 50 taluks were close to being declared drought-hit and the number could eventually reach 220 after ground-truthing. The government had strictly followed the Centre’s 2020 drought manual, he added.
Parameshwara said the state had received 524 mm of rainfall against the normal 809 mm between June 1 and September 23, recording a deficit of 36 per cent.
He said agricultural sowing had covered only 68.67 lakh hectares against the target of 84.14 lakh hectares, while horticultural crops were cultivated on 3.78 lakh hectares against the expected 4.36 lakh hectares.
“Whatever was sown germinated, developed two leaves and then dried up. This is the condition across the state,” he said.
“Therefore, look at the situation we have reached today. Agricultural crops are gone. Horticultural crops are gone. There is a drinking-water problem. There is a fodder problem,” Parameshwara said.
He said 111 taluks and 531 villages were currently facing drinking-water problems.
Parameshwara said the government had extended the loan repayment and moratorium period for drought-hit farmers by 12 months, with the repayment period increased from 36 to 60 months.
“If microfinance companies harass farmers or cause them trouble, there is already a stringent law against them. We will take action under that law,” he said.
“Reports are already coming in that some people are causing trouble locally. Therefore, if anyone harasses them, action will be taken according to law,” he added.
The deputy CM said the state would seek additional Central assistance after including losses from the newly identified drought-hit taluks, estimating that the total loss could eventually reach around Rs 40,000 crore.
He recalled that Karnataka had received Rs 1,652 crore against estimated losses of Rs 30,000-35,000 crore during the 2019-20 drought, Rs 492 crore against losses of Rs 23,764 crore during the 2021-22 floods and Rs 3,498 crore against losses of Rs 35,000 crore during the 2023-24 drought.
He said 49 lakh farmers had registered for crop insurance this year, the highest ever, and the state would meet its committed contribution of around Rs 1,572 crore.
Parameshwara said electricity demand had reached 20,000 MW as of September 11, but the government was continuing to provide six hours of power to farmers.
Under the 16th Finance Commission, Karnataka was entitled to Rs 929 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund, of which it had received Rs 464 crore so far, he said.
Parameshwara alleged that Karnataka was being discriminated against in the devolution of funds, saying Maharashtra had received Rs 39,492 crore over the last five years against Karnataka’s Rs 8,559 crore under the 16th Finance Commission.
“You (Centre) give Maharashtra Rs 39,000 crore and Karnataka Rs 8,500 crore. Why is this discrimination despite Karnataka being the second-highest GST-paying state?” he asked.
Calling the situation a “historical drought”, Parameshwara urged the Centre to declare it a national disaster and immediately send a team to the state.
“I want to request the Hon’ble Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), if this House agrees, to declare this a national disaster,” he said.
(PTI News)
