CM DK Shivakumar directs officials to prepare report on drought situation 'within 15 days' to submit to Centre
Bengaluru, July 20
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that he has directed officials to prepare a proper report on the rainfall deficit and drought situation in the state within the next 15 days to be submitted to the Central Government. The report must be formulated based on spot inspections and should not be prepared sitting in offices.
He was addressing a press conference on Sunday regarding the decisions made during the meeting with DCs and CEOs, as well as the cabinet meeting held at the Vidhana Soudha concerning the drought situation.
"Accurate information must be provided to the Central Team when they visit the state following our report. I have already written a letter to the Prime Minister regarding sending a Central Team, and I have informed the officials about the same," he said.
"Today, we discussed the drought situation with various departments. I have instructed everyone to work together as 'Team Karnataka'. The state is facing a 60% rainfall deficit. There is a shortage of rain in 178 taluks, with 158 taluks receiving very scanty rainfall. Twenty taluks have received no rain at all. The situation in Vijayanagara district is severe. All these aspects have been discussed. As the state's reservoirs have only 40% water storage, it will be reserved strictly for drinking water purposes," he explained.
"Committees should hold meetings only if water flows into the dams. The committees must regularly apprise farmers about the water levels. If farmers sow crops and then demand water release, it will be difficult to comply. Therefore, we appeal to them not to sow crops," he said.
The Chief Minister said that groundwater levels across all taluks have been reviewed.
"Hydroelectric power generation is down to just 23%. Groundwater levels across all taluks have been reviewed. Water levels in tanks have plummeted. Out of 3,817 small irrigation tanks, 3,235 tanks have less than 50% water. Out of 32,504 Zilla Panchayat tanks, 27,450 tanks have less than 50% water. A grant of ₹1 crore each has already been announced for rural assembly constituencies for drinking water. A total of ₹379 crore has been released. There is no shortage of funds. Instructions have been given to utilize the funds through meetings led by MLAs," he informed.
He also said that the Union government did not took the State government into "confidence" regarding the MGNREGA scheme.
"We are protesting that the Central Government has not taken us into confidence regarding the MGNREGA scheme. Nevertheless, under the VB-G RAM G scheme, the state government has to contribute a 40% grant. The Central Government has indicated which projects can be undertaken, and utmost priority will be given to community and infrastructure development works," he said.
"Instructions have been issued to ensure that people from no region migrate. Directives have been given for the supply of fodder and fertilizers. It must be ensured that fake bills are not generated while drilling each borewell. There must be video evidence recorded during the drilling of borewells. The electricity department has been instructed to prioritize the repair of transformers," he added.
"I have instructed that officials must remain at their headquarters and personally monitor these works. A separate meeting will be held to review the discrepancies regarding crop insurance," he stated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate the emphasis on spot inspections and video evidence for borewell drilling. Too much corruption happens when officials sit in AC rooms. But I'm worried about farmers being told not to sow crops—what will they do for income? Need better relief measures.
As a farmer from Mandya, this is serious. Our tank is almost dry. CM saying not to sow crops is heartbreaking but realistic—we've seen what happened in Maharashtra. At least they're ensuring drinking water priority. Hope the central team comes soon.
DK Shivakumar is being smart by asking for a detailed report within 15 days. The Central government often delays funds if the state report is weak. But why didn't they prepare this earlier? Monsoon has been bad since June. 🤷♂️
The point about MGNREGA is valid—Centre should consult states before changes. But I'm glad they're prioritizing drinking water over crops. In my village, people are already buying water from tankers. ₹1 crore per constituency seems insufficient for 158 taluks with deficit rain.
Finally, a CM who talks about data and action. 3,235 tanks with less than 50% water is alarming. The instruction to repair transformers quickly is smart—pumps need power. But I worry about the 20 taluks with zero rain. Hope the report is honest and not manipulated.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.