G Parameshwara writes to Modi, Shah, seeking financial assistance for drought-hit farmers

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an appointment to submit a memorandum on the state’s severe drought situation and seek financial assistance from the Union government.

The DCM has also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.

PM Modi will be in Bengaluru on November 13.

In his letter, Dr Parameshwara pointed out that 226 taluks had been affected by drought and crop losses reported across 57.93 lakh hectares. He said the State Government had prepared a memorandum seeking Rs 22,400 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund to provide relief to affected farmers and protect rural livelihoods.

The DCM also said that the welfare of the farmers transcends political and administrative boundaries. “I firmly believe that the Union and State Governments must work together in the spirit of cooperative federalism to protect agricultural livelihoods and restore confidence among affected families. I therefore request you to kindly grant me an appointment at the earliest, enabling me to personally apprise you of the situation, submit the memorandum and seek your intervention for the expeditious consideration and release of the requisite financial assistance,” he said.

The DCM said in accordance with the revised norms, Karnataka’s requirement towards crop-loss input subsidy has increased from Rs 6128.7 crore to Rs 7,943.55 crore. Karnataka’s total cumulative requirement stands revised from Rs 20,585.73 crore to Rs 22,400.58 crore.

“While I appreciate the Centre’s decision to revise the assistance norms, I must express my profound concern that the enhancement remains modest when measured against the extraordinary increase in cultivation costs, the growing severity of climatic disasters and the economic vulnerabilities confronting our farmers.

A revision of disaster assistance norms at the beginning of a new five-year Finance Commission cycle should represent more than an incremental adjustment in financial assistance. It must reflect a fundamental reassessment of what it takes to protect a farmer’s livelihood in an era of increasing climatic uncertainty. Unfortunately, several longstanding structural concerns remain unaddressed,” the minister said.

“We must aspire to build a nation where farmers are not merely helped to survive a calamity, but are empowered to withstand adversity, recover with dignity and cultivate the future without fear. This calls for a comprehensive re-examination of disaster relief norms, incorporating realistic cultivation costs, contemporary landholding records, stronger livelihood protection and financial assistance commensurate with the increasing intensity of climatic disasters,” he said.