Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India] November 5 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced drought relief of Rs 5,000 for each eligible farmer, stating that the government aims to bring relief to farmers in distress during Diwali.
He said Rs 2,500 would be transferred in the first phase through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), while the remaining amount would be released in the coming days.
"Dasara is over, and Diwali has arrived. Farmers are in crisis, and the government is committed to bringing light into their lives. It has been decided to give drought relief of up to Rs. 5,000 to each eligible farmer. In the first phase, Rs. 2,500 will be transferred directly to farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The remaining Rs. 2,500 will be released in the coming days," said Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Speaking at a committee room in Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, Shivakumar released Rs. 17.43 crore as the first instalment of input subsidy for 1,06,462 farmers in Yadgir district, at Rs. 2,500 per farmer.
He said payment files are being prepared for 15 districts, with the first instalment of input subsidy to be disbursed to eligible farmers at the earliest and the second instalment within 15 to 20 days.
He added that while the assistance may not fully compensate for farmers' losses, it would provide some relief, reiterating the government's commitment to improving their lives.
"Meanwhile, payment files are being prepared for 15 districts: Uttara Kannada, Kolar, Koppal, Chamarajanagar, Dharwad, Ballari, Bidar, Bengaluru Urban, Haveri, Bengaluru South, Davanagere, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi, Mandya and Vijayanagara. The first instalment of input subsidy will be paid to eligible farmers in these districts at the earliest. The second instalment will be released within 15 to 20 days. The government remains committed to improving farmers' lives. The assistance may not fully make up for their losses, but it will certainly offer some relief," he said.
He said the remaining approved input subsidy would be released in a single instalment after receiving funds from the NDRF, subject to eligibility criteria. He also described the drought as unprecedented, noting that only the Krishna reservoir had filled up despite warnings from the Centre.
"Subject to eligibility criteria, the remaining approved input subsidy, calculated under the revised norms, will be released in a single instalment once the necessary funds are received from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). None of us has ever experienced, or even heard of, a drought as severe as this in our lifetime. Despite advance warnings from the Central Government, none of the dams except the Krishna reservoir has filled up," he said.
He said crops had been damaged across 57.93 lakh hectares, with 226 taluks declared drought-affected following assessments under Central Government guidelines.
"According to the joint crop damage assessment report, crops have been damaged across 57.93 lakh hectares in the State. Farmers are distressed by this calamity. The 226 taluks were declared drought-affected based on a direct assessment carried out under Central Government guidelines, without yielding to any outside pressure. I declared these taluks drought-affected strictly within the legal framework, after getting the necessary approval from the Revenue Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister," he said.
He added that three Central teams had visited the affected areas and accused the opposition of focusing more on politics, while the government toured all three divisions to support farmers and boost public morale.
"Three teams deputed by the Central Government have visited drought-affected areas of the State. We tried to hold discussions with opposition parties, but they seemed more focused on politics. However, we visited all three divisions to boost people's morale and protect farmers' interests," he said.
He said Karnataka has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 62,000 crore due to drought, with crops damaged across 57 lakh hectares. He said the State has sought Rs 22,400 crore in relief from the Centre and requested an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue.
"A report submitted to the Central Government says Karnataka has suffered losses of Rs. 62,000 crore due to the drought. It is the Centre's duty to help farmers. We announced in the Legislative Assembly that Rs. 2,000 will be given to farmers as crop compensation, and we have sought Rs. 22,400 crore in relief from the Centre. We have also sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss this issue. We also proposed leading an all-party delegation to press the Centre, and invited opposition parties to join us. It remains to be seen how they respond," he said.
He added that the State government has announced Rs 2,000 in crop compensation for farmers and proposed an all-party delegation to press for central assistance. He also highlighted the drinking water crisis and sought an increase in the allocation for free electricity to farmers from Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore due to rising consumption amid the drought.
"Crops across 57 lakh hectares have been destroyed, causing heavy losses to farmers. After Rajasthan, Karnataka has the largest dryland area in the country. The State is also facing a drinking water crisis," he said.
"Earlier, Rs. 20,000 crore was allocated for free electricity to farmers. However, due to the drought, electricity consumption has risen sharply, so this allocation needs to be increased to Rs. 30,000 crore. We now face a situation where electricity is not available to farmers even though funds have been allocated for it," he explained.
The Chief Minister interacted with farmers from Yadgir district through a video conference. The farmers thanked him for releasing drought relief funds to the district. They also expressed hope that opposition parties would join discussions with the Central Government to secure drought relief and support farmers. (ANI)
Karnataka to give Rs 5,000 drought relief to eligible farmers, ahead of Diwali: CM DK Shivakumar
