Karnataka Expands Drought‑hit Taluks by 23, Bringing the Total to 124

Karnataka’s drought list grew again on Thursday – the state government, after a ground‑level verification, announced that 23 more taluks are now officially classified as drought‑hit. This pushes the tally to a worrying 124 taluks for the ongoing Kharif cropping season.

The Revenue Department issued the order following a detailed survey by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). The new batch includes 21 taluks deemed severely affected and two that fall under a moderate‑impact category. The designation will stay in force for the next six months, giving districts a clear window to mobilise aid.

Among the severely affected are Tiptur in Tumakuru; Karatagi in Koppal; the trio of Manvi, Sindhanur and Sirwar in Raichur; and a string of taluks in Kalaburagi – Afzalpur, Aland, Chittapur, Kalaburagi, Yadrami and Shahabad. Bidar’s Bhalki, Vijayapura’s Basavana Bagewadi, Babaleshwar and Tikota, Haveri’s Rattihalli, as well as Hubballi, Navalgund, Hubballi City and Annigeri in Dharwad, and Kadur in Chikkamagaluru also made the list.

The two moderately hit taluks are Ponnampet and Virajpet, both tucked away in the hill‑rich district of Kodagu. While their water stress isn’t as acute, the authorities still reckon they need targeted assistance.

This fresh round of declarations came after officials examined the 139 taluks that escaped the initial drought notification on August 27. Using a mobile‑app‑based verification, teams trekked through 214 villages across 24 taluks, checking soil moisture, groundwater levels and crop conditions.

The on‑ground exercise was ordered by the Cabinet sub‑committee on natural disasters, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara. Its purpose? To make sure no needy area slips through the cracks.

With the new status, district administrations can now tap the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to roll out relief measures. Deputy Commissioners, who head the district disaster‑management authorities, have been authorised to act swiftly – be it distributing dry‑land seeds, arranging water tankers, or organising credit relief.

In parallel, the agriculture commissioner, the director of horticulture, and the concerned deputy commissioners have been instructed to conduct joint crop‑loss surveys. Their findings will feed into a comprehensive relief assessment that the state government will review in the coming weeks.

The drought map isn’t static, officials warn. KSNDMC will keep a weekly eye on rainfall patterns, and forecasts still hint at below‑normal showers for September. If conditions worsen, more taluks could be added in phases.

Politically, the issue is about to hit the Assembly floor. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced a three‑day special session beginning September 21 to debate the drought’s impact and the farmers’ pleas for assistance. Among the hot topics: whether to grant farm‑loan waivers, a move that would need consensus from opposition parties and banking houses.

Shivakumar told reporters that he would travel with a bipartisan delegation to Delhi to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. He also hinted that banks have already signalled willingness to give farmers an extra year to clear their dues, though the final decision will be taken after thorough deliberation.