Bengaluru, Sep 23 (IANS) In view of the severe drought situation in the state, the Karnataka government is continuously taking measures to provide necessary relief to farmers and the public.

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara told the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that the Union government should relax the existing drought declaration norms and provide the financial assistance required to effectively address the situation.

He said the state government has already written to the Union government seeking relaxation of the NDRF norms.

The ground realities of the drought have been brought to the Centre’s attention, with a request to ensure greater assistance to farmers facing distress.

Parameshwara said that during the severe drought in 2023, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking necessary drought relief.

He had also requested relaxation of the Union government’s existing norms, saying that they did not fully reflect the actual drought conditions prevailing in Karnataka.

He said the current state government, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, has also written to the Union government on the issue.

As Revenue Minister, Parameshwara, too, has submitted a request to the Centre, while the Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has also written seeking appropriate action.

“The Union government should give special consideration to Karnataka’s situation and relax the NDRF norms,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Parameshwara added that drought should not be assessed merely on the basis of overall rainfall deficiency.

“The state’s key demand is that factors such as the amount of rainfall, timing of rainfall, impact on crops, soil moisture and other local ground conditions must also be considered. In view of the 2026 drought situation, the state government has already requested the Union government to review the existing criteria,” he said.

“Necessary measures are being taken to address the drought situation across the state, and the state government remains committed to responding to the distress faced by farmers and the public,” the Deputy CM added.

He urged the Union government to take Karnataka’s actual conditions into account and extend the necessary support.

–IANS

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