Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara on Wednesday, 22 July chaired a high-level review meeting in Chikkaballapur district, warning that the state is enduring its worst drought in 150 years, with crop sowing falling below 40 per cent across large parts of Karnataka and even those crops having withered due to acute rainfall deficiency.

Scale of the Crisis

Parameshwara described the situation in stark terms. 'The state is witnessing a drought situation not seen in over 150 years. Less than 40 per cent sowing has taken place across Karnataka, and even those crops have withered, resulting in severe losses to agricultural activities,' he said at the meeting.

While the coastal and Malnad regions have received some rainfall, vast stretches of the state — particularly the rain shadow areas stretching from Hosadurga to Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh — continue to face acute water scarcity. The scale of the distress places this among the most severe agricultural emergencies Karnataka has seen in living memory.

Crop Insurance Enrolment Falls Far Short

Chikkaballapur district has been assigned a target of enrolling 80,000 farmers under the crop insurance scheme, but only 24,000 have been enrolled so far — less than a third of the target. Parameshwara pulled up officials for the shortfall, calling crop insurance a critical safety net.

'Crop insurance is a vital safeguard for farmers. In the event of crop loss, insurance provides financial relief. How can the target be achieved if farmers are not encouraged to enrol?' he asked. He warned that negligence in implementing relief measures would not be tolerated, and directed officials to achieve the enrolment target without delay.

Drinking Water and Livestock Concerns

The Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to immediately drill borewells wherever necessary and ensure motor pumps and electricity connections are provided without delay. The state government has allocated ₹1 crore to every Assembly constituency for drinking water arrangements.

On livestock, officials reported that Chikkaballapur has 1.86 lakh cattle, 10 lakh sheep and goats, and a fodder stock of three lakh tonnes. Parameshwara sought independent verification of these figures and directed that fodder seed kits be distributed to farmers with access to water. Taluk-level task forces have been instructed to prepare action plans and conduct continuous reviews to prevent shortages for both people and livestock.

Drought Declaration: After August 15

On the formal declaration of drought, Parameshwara clarified that the state must follow the Union government's prescribed framework. 'The Union government has laid down 10 criteria for declaring drought, and we have to act in accordance with them. Ground-truthing is being carried out in every taluk, and a decision on declaring drought will be considered after August 15,' he said.

This procedural requirement means formal drought relief from the Centre could still be weeks away, even as conditions on the ground deteriorate. Parameshwara also directed officials to expedite pending revenue matters, including the distribution of title deeds, warning that laxity in public service delivery would invite action. With the August 15 deadline for drought assessment approaching, the state's next steps will be closely watched by farmers and administrators alike.