CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent central assistance for Karnataka amid a severe drought situation in the state. Kharge said Karnataka recorded a 58% rainfall deficiency up to September, resulting in widespread crop losses and distress among farming families. He said the state government has sought ₹3,705.30 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) framework against estimated losses of ₹18,748.23 crore. Kharge listed six demands in his letter.
These include sending a central team for immediate on-ground verification of drought-related losses in Kalyana Karnataka and approving the entire assistance sought by the state without arbitrary deductions. He also sought that input subsidies for small and marginal farmers be calculated using updated land records rather than the 2015-16 Agriculture Census.
Kharge further called for additional eligible taluks to be covered under central assistance and sought increased support for drinking-water security and alternative power costs in view of low reservoir levels in the Cauvery and hydel catchments. He also highlighted the situation of more than 31 lakh affected farming families. Kharge said drought relief should be treated as a humanitarian requirement and urged the Centre and Karnataka governments to rise above political differences.
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