Mysuru, August 29, 2026: Karnataka Government will submit its drought memorandum to the Union Government by the end of August or the first week of September, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara said on Saturday.
Speaking to the media in Mysuru, Dr. Parameshwara said the State has already declared 101 taluks as drought affected. The situation will be reviewed again after 15 days, and additional taluks may be declared drought-affected based on the assessment.
He said crop-loss assessments are currently underway, and the findings will form the basis of the memorandum to be submitted to the Centre. Following its submission, Central teams are expected to visit Karnataka and assess the drought situation before relief is released.
Drinking water, fodder and employment are priorities
Dr. Parameshwara said the government’s immediate priorities are ensuring adequate drinking water, fodder for livestock and employment opportunities to prevent distress migration.
“Ensuring drinking water, fodder for livestock and employment through works to prevent distress migration are our first priorities. We have already initiated measures on all these fronts,” he said.
State Government will also decide the compensation to be provided to farmers per acre, based on the crop-loss assessment and applicable norms.
Karnataka seeks ₹1,200 crore under SDRF
Deputy Chief Minister said a decision has been taken to provide around ₹1,200 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), but the amount is yet to be released to Karnataka.
According to him, the State's share is 25% while the Centre's share is 75%. The State has urged the Centre to release its share without delay. Once the funds are received, the government will be able to provide relief to farmers within seven to 10 days, he said.
‘2023 situation should not be repeated’
Referring to the drought of 2023, Dr. Parameshwara said Karnataka had suffered losses of around ₹39,000 crore and had submitted a proposal seeking ₹18,000 crore in relief. He said the State had to protest in Delhi and that ₹3,500 crore was released only after the intervention of the Supreme Court. “That situation should not be repeated this time,” he said.
Dr. Parameshwara said the memorandum would be prepared strictly according to the prescribed drought-declaration norms and urged the Centre to examine Karnataka’s proposal and release the relief due to the State without delay. Government, he said, is seeking timely Central assistance so that relief measures can reach affected farmers and rural communities quickly.
Keywords
Karnataka drought 2026, drought relief Karnataka, G Parameshwara, 101 drought taluks, SDRF Karnataka, Karnataka drought memorandum