Karnataka announces Rs 2,500 input subsidy for drought-hit farmers: Dy CM Parameshwara

Bengaluru: Karnataka government will provide Rs 2,500 in input subsidy to each drought-hit farmer as immediate relief, with further assistance to be decided based on the Centre's support, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said on Friday.

The first-phase assistance, expected to benefit around 45-50 lakh farmers, will cost the state exchequer about Rs 1,250 crore, he said.

"Although National Disaster Response Force assistance from the Union Government is awaited, our government is providing immediate relief considering the distress faced by farmers," Parameshwara said in response to criticism that the relief announced was inadequate.


Speaking to reporters here, he said further relief measures would be decided based on the assistance provided by the Centre, adding that it was not possible at this stage to commit to any revised relief amount.

"The first-phase assistance of Rs 1,250 crore is not a small amount. Further measures will be taken in the coming days based on the relief received from the Union Government," he said, accusing the Opposition of "playing politics" by criticising the amount as inadequate.

The total losses caused by drought in the state are likely to exceed Rs 40,000 crore, the Deputy CM said, adding that the first memorandum seeking assistance had already been submitted to the Centre and additional memoranda would be sent in the coming days.

After preparing a final assessment of the losses, the state would submit its requirement for assistance under the NDRF guidelines, he said.

The state government was already providing various forms of assistance to farmers, including about Rs 22,000 crore towards power subsidies for providing free electricity to agricultural pump sets, Parameshwara said.

The Union Government has written to the state about deputing a team, including an IAS officer, to assess the drought situation. The date of the team's visit has not yet been finalised, he said.

Once the Central team assesses the drought situation and losses as per its guidelines, there would be greater clarity on the extent of further assistance, Parameshwara said.

On the proposal to take an all-party delegation to Delhi over drought relief, he said the CM had already clarified the matter in the Legislative Assembly.

"An all-party meeting will be held, everyone will be taken into confidence, and the delegation will be taken to New Delhi," he said.

The delegation would meet the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Union Agriculture Minister to explain Karnataka's drought situation and the distress faced by farmers, he said.

"If Opposition members are willing to join, the government is ready to take them along as well," Parameshwara said, adding that the date of the proposed visit had not yet been fixed.