The number of drought-hit taluks in the State may go up further as the government on Monday directed officials concerned to take up ground survey exercise in 21 taluks of the remaining 41 taluks that are facing drought like conditions.
It may be noted that the goverment has already declared 195 taluks of the total 236 in the State as drought hit in the first list, and the second list of drought-affected taluks is set to be announced soon.
The situation has caused concern as the regime of south-west monsoon, which is the mainstay for Karnataka’s agriculture and weather system, has already ended with a rainfall shortage of about 25%.
“We have asked the officials not to wait for us (Cabinet sub-committee on drought). Officials have been asked to approve and notify the taluks as drought hit soon after the ground survey exercise report is available in the next two days,” Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy told presspersons here on Monday.
Data on farmers
Regarding the discrepancy in data on small and marginal farmers between the information available with the Centre and the State, Mr. Gowda said: “We are collecting the data and will submit the document as part of the supplementary memorandum in the next one week.”
According to the Minister, as per the data available with the Centre, 46% of the farmers in the State are small and marginal. “However, the percentage of small and marginal farmers in the State is above 60%. The Inter Ministerial Central Team, which is assessing the drought situation in the State, has also agreed with the State government’s assessment. We are collecting data in this regard, and will submit the documents to the Centre with a week’s time,” he said.
