Karnataka declares 188 taluks drought-affected

The Karnataka government has officially declared a total of 188 taluks as drought-affected following a severe shortage of monsoon rains. This updated figure follows a fourth phase of scientific assessment, which added 11 more taluks across seven districts to the list of areas eligible for ground-truthing.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara stated that the government is conducting continuous scientific evaluations based on rainfall levels, soil moisture, and crop conditions to provide timely relief to farmers. Previous declarations included 101 taluks in the first phase, 23 in the second, and 53 in the third.

In Talukote, political tensions have surfaced regarding the drought declaration. Former member Prabhugouda Madarakalla criticized former MLA A. S. Patil (Nadahalli) for allegedly using farmer issues for political gain, asserting that the state must work in coordination with central government SDRF rules to manage the crisis.