Karnataka adds 53 taluks to drought-hit list; total rises to 177

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has added 53 more taluks to the drought-hit list, taking the total number of officially declared drought-affected taluks in the state to 177 as the administration continues its phased assessment of the monsoon situation.

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said the drought assessment was being carried out scientifically to ensure timely intervention and assistance to farmers facing crop losses.

The government had initially declared 101 taluks drought-hit in the first phase, followed by 23 additional taluks in the second phase. The latest order covers another 53 taluks in the third phase.

The assessment is based on parameters including rainfall, soil moisture and crop conditions. Earlier, the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) had identified 53 taluks for ground verification after analysing rainfall, soil moisture and crop-related data.

According to the latest government assessment, 51 of the newly added taluks fall under the severe drought category, while two have been classified as moderately drought-affected.

The drought assessment will continue in phases until the end of the monsoon season. The government has also initiated the next stage of assessment, with 11 taluks across seven districts qualifying for Step-3 ground truthing, according to the information shared by the state government.

Officials will undertake further field verification and assess crop damage before taking decisions on additional drought declarations. The government had earlier indicated that the overall number of drought-hit taluks could eventually cross 200 as the assessment progresses.

Parameshwara said the government would continue monitoring the situation and provide assistance to farmers according to the prescribed rules, based on verified crop-loss assessments.

The phased approach is aimed at ensuring that drought declarations are based on scientific data and field-level verification rather than being made across the state at one go. The assessment process is expected to continue through the remainder of the monsoon season.