Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 23 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate central assistance of Rs 20,585.73 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), citing estimated losses of Rs 62,481.88 crore due to the severe Kharif drought affecting 57.93 lakh hectares in the state.
In a six-page letter dated October 22, Parameshwara stated that Karnataka experienced one of its worst Kharif droughts, with the Southwest Monsoon 2026 recording 551 mm of rainfall against the normal of 852 mm, a deficit of 35 per cent. He noted that this was the second-lowest rainfall recorded since 1956 and the seventh-lowest since 1901.
Of the 122 monsoon days, 79 witnessed deficit or large-deficit rainfall, severely affecting standing crops, the letter stated.
Following an assessment under the Manual for Drought Management, 2020, Karnataka has declared 226 taluks drought-affected, including 177 declared earlier and 49 additional taluks.
Crop losses have been reported across 53.92 lakh hectares of crops and 4.01 lakh hectares of horticultural crops, with damage ranging from 33 per cent to 100 per cent, with the majority of affected crops suffering damage exceeding 50 per cent.
Major affected crops were maize across 11.82 lakh hectares, red gram or tur across 10.12 lakh hectares, cotton across 6.68 lakh hectares, ragi across 5.56 lakh hectares and sugarcane across 4.88 lakh hectares. Other affected crops include green gram across 3.80 lakh hectares, soybean across 2.24 lakh hectares, paddy across 1.65 lakh hectares, mango across 1.26 lakh hectares, coconut across 0.87 lakh hectares, and red chilli and arecanut across 0.42 lakh hectares each.
The state's cumulative drought memorandum seeks Rs 6,128.70 crore towards crop-loss input subsidy and Rs 12,146.99 crore as gratuitous relief for 61.91 lakh small and marginal farmers at Rs 327 per day for 60 days.
It has also sought Rs 1,727 crore for drinking water supply and repairs to water supply schemes, including Rs 1,130 crore for rural areas and Rs 597 crore for urban areas.
Additionally, Karnataka has requested Rs 583.04 crore for animal husbandry-related measures, including 476 cattle camps, 583 fodder banks, veterinary medicines and fodder support.
Highlighting the plight of 61.91 lakh small and marginal farmers, Parameshwara urged the Centre to consider the relief measures urgently to prevent farmers from abandoning agriculture due to the losses.
The Deputy Chief Minister also flagged concerns over the continued use of the Agriculture Census 2015-16 for calculating input subsidies, stating that the data does not reflect current landholdings and could result in a shortfall of Rs 1,609.50 crore.
He requested the Centre to use Karnataka's FRUITS database for determining beneficiaries, stating that it is de-duplicated and aligned with Agri Stack.
Seeking additional support to protect children and mothers during the period of scarcity, Parameshwara requested Rs 427.20 crore under the PM POSHAN scheme to provide nutrition support to schoolchildren during summer vacation in drought-hit taluks.
He also sought Rs 70.96 crore under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0.
The letter further called for a revision of input subsidy norms under the 16th Finance Commission cycle, citing rising cultivation costs.
Parameshwara noted that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) had assessed the situation from October 3 to 6, following the state's earlier memorandum dated October 1.
Urging the Prime Minister to intervene personally, he sought expedited appraisal of the memorandum, early submission of the IMCT's recommendations to the High Level Committee and the expeditious release of funds.
"Every passing week is critical for farming families... Let us ensure that, in their hour of greatest need, our farmers find reassurance not merely in our words, but in the speed, compassion and determination of our collective action," he said.
Parameshwara concluded by stating that Karnataka's farmers had contributed immensely to national food security and deserved assurance that the institutions of the Republic stood firmly beside them, in the spirit of cooperative federalism and Viksit Bharat 2047.