Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara announced on Wednesday, 26 August that the state government is set to declare drought in 102 taluks at the next Cabinet meeting, following a comprehensive review of ground-truthing reports received from across the state. The declaration, he said, will strictly follow criteria prescribed by the Centre.

Ground-Truthing Reports and Cabinet Review

Speaking to reporters near his residence in Bengaluru, Parameshwara confirmed that ground-truthing reports had been received from all 102 taluks under assessment. These reports will be placed before the Cabinet for deliberation before a formal drought declaration is made.

'We will declare drought in accordance with the criteria prescribed by the Centre. We will review the drought situation every week,' he said.

The move signals that the drought assessment process is in its final stages, with the Cabinet meeting serving as the last formal step before an official declaration — a prerequisite for unlocking state and central relief funds.

Human and Agricultural Impact

Parameshwara acknowledged the severity of conditions on the ground, noting that drinking water shortages have emerged across the state and that farmers have suffered significant crop losses. The assessment spans a wide geographic footprint, with 102 taluks — out of Karnataka's total of around 236 — flagged for potential drought status, indicating the scale of the crisis.

This comes amid a broader pattern of erratic monsoon distribution across peninsular India in 2024, with several southern and northern Karnataka districts recording well-below-normal rainfall during the critical kharif sowing season.

BJP's Role Questioned

Parameshwara trained his fire on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that while the opposition had formed its own teams to assess the drought situation, it had neither presented its findings in the Assembly nor submitted any formal report or representation to the Chief Minister or the Revenue Minister.

'The Opposition should discuss these issues and offer suggestions. Instead, they engaged in politics in the Assembly,' he said, also dismissing the BJP's ongoing padayatra over the issue as political theatre.

Nagendra Resignation and Cabinet Reshuffle Questions

On a separate political front, Parameshwara addressed questions about Minister B. Nagendra's possible resignation, indicating that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was likely to travel to Delhi on Wednesday or Thursday and that the matter could come up if he met the Congress high command.

He firmly dismissed speculation about an imminent Cabinet reshuffle, saying any such decision rested entirely with the high command. He also clarified that Nagendra's name does not appear in any chargesheet, and that a decision on whether the CBI should investigate the matter would follow Cabinet discussion.

Internal Reservation and Other Issues

Responding to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's remarks on reservation, Parameshwara said the state government had already implemented internal reservation — a long-contested demand — though he acknowledged the policy faces a legal challenge given the Supreme Court's cap that overall reservation must not exceed 50 per cent.

'Internal reservation has been implemented within these limitations,' he said.

He also touched on the proposed use of 5 per cent of park land for public purposes and ongoing discussions on levying charges for roadside vehicle parking in Bengaluru, saying decisions on both would be made public once the relevant bodies finalise their positions.

With the Cabinet meeting expected shortly, all eyes will be on whether Karnataka's formal drought declaration triggers a swift relief package for the state's distressed farming communities.