Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 10 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday assured drought-affected farmers that every eligible beneficiary would receive a minimum of Rs 5,000 in crop-loss assistance, irrespective of the size of their landholding, clarifying that farmers who received Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,500 in the first instalment would be paid the remaining amount in subsequent instalments.
According to an official statement, while addressing concerns over discrepancies in the first instalment of drought relief, Parameshwara said the Rs 2,000 received by some farmers was not their final assistance and that the state government had decided to ensure a minimum payout of Rs 5,000 to every eligible farmer.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government, through an order dated October 23, 2026, had authorised the release of Rs 2,500 per eligible farmer as the first instalment of input subsidy.
Accordingly, on November 5, the government launched the distribution of Rs 17.43 crore to 1,06,462 farmers in Yadgir district as part of the state's drought relief programme.
Explaining the difference in payments, Parameshwara said the prevailing Union Government's SDRF/NDRF guidelines provided for input subsidy based on the extent and category of agricultural land, with prescribed minimum assistance of Rs 1,500 for rainfed crops, Rs 2,600 for irrigated crops and Rs 3,200 for perennial crops.
However, he said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had decided to go beyond the prescribed minimum norms and provide Rs 5,000 as minimum crop-loss assistance to every eligible farmer, irrespective of the size of the agricultural holding.
"A farmer cultivating half an acre suffers from the same drought, the same uncertainty and the same financial distress as a farmer cultivating several acres. The size of a farmer's landholding should never determine the compassion of a Government," he said.
Clarifying the pending payments, Parameshwara said farmers who had received Rs 2,000 in the first instalment would get the remaining Rs 3,000, while those who had received Rs 2,500 would be paid another Rs 2,500.
He added that Rs 5,000 was the minimum assistance and that the government had also provided for enhanced input subsidy ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 60,000 for eligible farmers, depending on the extent of crop loss and applicable norms.
Parameshwara said he had directed officials to ensure transparency in the payment process and expedite the release of the remaining instalments so that no eligible farmer was deprived of the assistance.
"The Government guidelines must serve the interests of farmers, not become obstacles to delivering relief. Where existing norms are inadequate to address the hardship of farmers, our Government will take the necessary decisions to protect their interests," he said.
He also appealed to farmers not to be misled by rumours and misinformation over relief payments, accusing opposition leaders of attempting to create confusion by presenting interim payments as final assistance.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government would examine grievances of eligible farmers who had received less than the assistance due to them and take corrective action without unnecessary delay.
"Our commitment is Rs 5,000 minimum assistance to every eligible farmer, timely release of the remaining instalments and no exclusion merely because of a small landholding," he said. (ANI)
No farmer to be denied drought relief over small landholding, assures Dy Karnataka CM Parameshwara
