Crop losses from the drought in Karnataka could reach Rs 50,000-60,000 crore, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said on Saturday, adding that the state will seek relief under the Union Government's guidelines.
He made the remarks in a post on X, summarising his comments to the media near his residence.
A total of 217 taluks have been declared drought-affected. Losses in 177 of them have been assessed at about Rs 46,000 crore, as stated in the second memorandum submitted to the Centre. Assessment is under way in the 40 taluks declared drought-hit on October 1.
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"Once losses across all these taluks are consolidated, the total could be between Rs 50,000 crore and Rs 60,000 crore," Parameshwara said. "We will seek the relief due to Karnataka under the prescribed Central guidelines."
Ground verification will also be carried out in 22 taluks not yet declared drought-affected. The exercise may add "one, two or three more", he said, while some coastal taluks may not qualify.
Parameshwara said recent rain would not alter the assessment.
"It may provide some relief in terms of drinking water availability, but it will not significantly benefit crops already damaged," he said. Central teams will be briefed on rainfall and drought conditions from May to September, which are reflected in the memorandum.
Three Central teams, comprising Joint Secretaries and officials from the Union Agriculture and Environment ministries, are visiting the state. They will travel to three regions to assess rainfall deficit and crop losses. A third and final memorandum covering all 217 taluks will be submitted after the assessments.
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The crisis has widened sharply since August. Karnataka first declared 101 taluks drought-hit on August 27, adding 23 more soon after, taking the tally to 124. By September 22, the number stood at 177.
Parameshwara said then that the state had received 642 mm of rain against a normal 852 mm, with deficits of 46% in South Interior Karnataka and 44% in North Interior Karnataka.
"This is not a drought limited to four or 10 taluks, it has affected the entire state," he said at the time.
The state submitted its first memorandum on September 10, seeking Rs 3,705.30 crore for the initial 101 taluks.
Last month, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging release of half that amount as interim assistance, and warned that crop losses could exceed 40 lakh hectares.
Karnataka has an uneasy precedent. In the previous drought, Parameshwara has said, losses were estimated at Rs 39,000 crore and the state sought Rs 18,000 crore, but central aid came in far lower.
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