Overview
- Three Inter‑Ministerial Central Teams began a three‑day, on‑the‑ground assessment on Saturday, October 3, to verify Karnataka’s drought claims before any disbursal from the National Disaster Response Fund or State Disaster Relief Fund.
- The state has formally demanded ₹7,142.64 crore after submitting two memorandums that place estimated crop and related losses at ₹46,324.50 crore across 177 assessed taluks, with 40 more taluks under active assessment and 217 of 240 taluks identified as drought‑hit.
- Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar separately asked the teams to release an initial ₹3,705.30 crore under NDRF rules, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has urged immediate sanctioning of that sum plus a dedicated team for the hard‑hit Kalyana Karnataka region.
- Karnataka reports growing drinking‑water stress, with tankers and hired borewells deployed to 861 rural habitations and officials warning over 2,300 gram panchayats could face shortages in coming months.
- Disputes over data and eligibility may affect payouts: the state’s memorandum cites a 35% monsoon rainfall shortfall while political leaders have cited a larger figure, and Karnataka asks that input subsidies use updated Bhoomi land records to avoid excluding small and marginal farmers.