Chikkaballapur (Karnataka), July 22 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara on Wednesday chaired a review meeting on drought conditions and revenue matters in Chikkaballapur district.
He said that Karnataka is facing the worst drought in 150 years.
He directed government officials to intensify efforts to enroll farmers under the crop insurance scheme and ensure adequate drinking water and fodder availability as Karnataka grapples with an unprecedented drought situation.
Parameshwara said crop insurance was a critical safety net for farmers and warned officials that negligence in implementing relief measures would not be tolerated.
“Crop insurance is a vital safeguard for farmers. In the event of crop loss, insurance provides financial relief. Chikkaballapur district has been given a target of enrolling 80,000 farmers, but only 24,000 have enrolled so far. How can the target be achieved if farmers are not encouraged to enrol?” he asked officials during the meeting.
Saying that farmers should not suffer due to administrative inaction, the Deputy Chief Minister instructed officials to achieve the enrolment target without delay.
“There is an opportunity to support farmers. Why should they suffer because of your inaction? I do not want unnecessary excuses. Any lapse or negligence in this regard will not be tolerated,” he said.
Parameshwara added that the state was facing one of the worst drought situations in recent history, with rainfall remaining far below normal levels across large parts of Karnataka.
“The state is witnessing a drought situation not seen in over 150 years. Less than 40 per cent sowing has taken place across Karnataka, and even those crops have withered, resulting in severe losses to agricultural activities,” he said.
He noted that while the coastal and Malnad regions had received some rainfall, large stretches of the state, particularly the rain shadow areas extending from Hosadurga to Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district, continue to face acute water scarcity.
Directing officials to prioritise drinking water supply, Parameshwara said that immediate steps must be taken to drill borewells wherever necessary and provide electricity connections without delay.
“If there is a need to drill borewells, officials must act immediately. Motor pumps and electricity connections should be provided at the earliest. No excuses will be accepted in this regard,” he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister also reviewed fodder availability in the district.
Officials told during the meeting that Chikkaballapur has 1.86 lakh cattle, 10 lakh sheep and goats, and a fodder stock of three lakh tonnes.
However, Parameshwara sought verification of the figures and directed officials to distribute fodder seed kits to farmers with access to water.
He also said that the state government had allocated Rs 1 crore to every Assembly constituency for drinking water arrangements and instructed taluk-level task forces to prepare action plans and conduct continuous reviews to prevent shortages for both people and livestock.
On the question of declaring drought, Parameshwara added that the state government would have to adhere to the Centre’s prescribed guidelines.
“The Union government has laid down 10 criteria for declaring drought, and we have to act in accordance with them. Ground-truthing is being carried out in every taluk, and a decision on declaring drought will be considered after August 15,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also directed officials to expedite pending revenue matters, including the distribution of title deeds, and warned that any laxity in delivering public services would invite action.
–IANS
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