Overview
- Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Deputy CM G Parameshwara have confirmed the minimum Rs 5,000 relief will be paid in two Rs 2,500 instalments and that the first instalment rollout has begun.
- The state issued an order on October 23 authorising Rs 2,500 as the first tranche and launched a pilot distribution on November 5 in Yadgir that credited Rs 17.43 crore to 1,06,462 farmers.
- Officials say some beneficiaries received lower first payments (for example Rs 1,500, Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,500) because transfers were calculated per hectare, some bank details were incorrect, and some accounts were linked to loans.
- Karnataka has earmarked Rs 1,250 crore for the first phase covering about 50 lakh farmer families and says it will fund the guaranteed minimum itself if central transfers are delayed; authorities are checking records to release pending amounts or combine them with the second instalment.
- The opposition has criticised the rollout for confusion and delays, while farmers face short-term cash stress and the state’s verification and payment fixes will determine whether relief reaches households before crop and repayment pressures deepen.