K'taka seeks NDRF funds, deputy CM flags drought-like situation amid El Niño impact

Karnataka deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday, 16 July said the state was facing a drought-like situation triggered by the Super El Niño phenomenon, with large rainfall deficits over the past two months damaging newly sown crops and worsening water scarcity.

Parameshwara, who also holds the revenue portfolio, said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, seeking the immediate release of National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) assistance and urging the Centre to either declare the prevailing drought a "calamity of national significance" or provide assistance commensurate with such a situation under the appropriate constitutional and statutory provisions.

"The Super El Niño weather phenomenon has had a significant impact on India. Karnataka recorded a rainfall deficit of 42 per cent in June and 34 per cent in July. Farmers undertook sowing after receiving scattered rainfall, but their crops are now suffering damage," Parameshwara told reporters.

He said the state had recorded an overall rainfall deficit of 37 per cent between 1 June and 15 July, with the shortfall worsening this month.

Of Karnataka's 245 taluks, only 15 have received above-normal rainfall, while 157 have recorded deficient rainfall and 14 are facing severe rainfall deficiency, he said.

"Bengaluru has not received any rainfall during the past 15 days. In July, 10 districts recorded rainfall deficits ranging from 30 per cent to 60 per cent, while 13 districts recorded deficits ranging from 60 per cent to 97 per cent. Only eight districts received normal rainfall," the deputy chief minister said.

He said the government had been reviewing the situation across the state, with meetings already held in the Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Chitradurga divisions. A further review meeting would be chaired by the chief minister.

Parameshwara said the state had released Rs 5 crore to each district to meet drinking water requirements, with district administrations instructed to utilise the funds exclusively for that purpose. "In addition, Rs 329.61 crore is available in the PD accounts of the deputy commissioners. Meetings of the task forces and District Disaster Management Authorities are being held regularly at the taluk and district levels," he said.

The deputy chief minister said Karnataka has 84.10 lakh hectares of cultivable land, of which sowing has been completed on 40.68 lakh hectares. "However, even the crops that have been sown are drying up. In some areas, the seeds sown by farmers have failed to germinate," he said, stressing the need for relief to farmers, measures to tackle drinking water shortages, prevent migration and generate employment in affected areas.

Pointing to rapidly depleting water resources, Parameshwara said existing central guidelines were preventing the state from immediately declaring drought despite prevailing conditions. "I have written to the Prime Minister requesting that the existing guidelines be relaxed. Today, I have also written to Union home minister Amit Shah and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging the Centre to release NDRF funds immediately," he said.

In his letter to the prime minister, Parameshwara urged the Centre to relax and modernise NDRF norms by recognising Karnataka's updated FRUITS (Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System) database, adopting uniform crop-loss assessment criteria, taking into account erratic rainfall and shorter dry spells, and enabling states to declare drought at an earlier stage.

Given the gravity of the situation, he also sought enhanced central assistance and requested that the prevailing drought be treated as a calamity of national significance.

With PTI inputs