The State government has declared 86 taluks across 23 districts in the State drought-hit and has estimated the crop loss owing to these conditions to run up to about ₹8,000 crore.
This followed a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee that reviewed the drought condition in the State on Tuesday. The 86 taluks, mostly in the north Karnataka region, met three important criteria fixed in the 2016 Central guidelines to consider taluks as drought-hit, Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande told presspersons after the meeting.
The taluks had 60% deficit rainfall, had a dry spell for more than three weeks, and reported crop loss of more than 33%.
While 114 taluks had experienced dry spell for more than three weeks, 44 reported less than 75% sowing, 115 had problems of deficient moisture, and 35 had their groundwater recede, a note from the Revenue Minister’s office said.
The Minister said that of the 74.69 lakh hectares that should have been sown with kharif crop, only 62.88 lakh hectares were covered. “The crop loss is estimated to be ₹8,000 crore,” he said.
Central teams to visit flood-affected districts
Two teams sent by the Centre will visit the flood-affected districts in the State to review the damage. While one team will go to Kodagu, the other will visit of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Hassan, said Mr. Deshpande. In all, the government has estimated the loss owing to the rain at ₹3,706 crore. It has requested the Centre to release ₹2,000 crore as aid.
