Overview
- The state submitted two memorandums on Saturday requesting a combined ₹7,142.64 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund after initial claims for 101 taluks were expanded to cover 177 assessed taluks.
- Karnataka says the 177 taluks already assessed show estimated drought losses of about ₹46,324.50 crore while the government has declared 217 of 240 taluks drought‑affected and is still ground‑truthing remaining areas.
- Three Central inter‑ministerial teams led by Joint Secretary Ajit Kumar Sahu began multi‑day field checks to verify crop damage, reservoir levels, drinking‑water needs and fodder shortages and will submit objective reports before the Centre decides on disbursal.
- State leaders have pressed for quick, merit‑based release of funds and asked the Centre to calculate input subsidies using Karnataka’s updated Bhoomi land records to avoid excluding small and marginal farmers from aid.
- Officials warn total losses could rise to ₹50,000–60,000 crore after remaining verifications; the drought has left millions of farmers facing crop failure, strained water supplies and increased costs for feed and substitute power.