Siddaramaiah pointed out that a Central team that visited the state to study the situation was convinced, but still there was no response from the Centre.
Karnataka has declared 216, out of a total 236 taluks, as drought-hit. (iStock)
On Friday, 27 October, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah questioned the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged delay in providing drought relief to the state and asked whether the BJP government was taking “revenge” on the state.
He said that 216 out of the state’s total 236 taluks are drought-hit and pointed out that a Central team that visited Karnataka to study the situation was convinced about it, yet there was no response from Prime Minister Modi or the BJP-led NDA government.
Siddaramaiah tweeted on X, “216 taluks in the state are affected by severe drought. So far, not even a single paisa of compensation has been released by the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi! Why is your big heart that beats for the sufferings and sorrows of the world, so harsh towards Kannadigas?”
ರಾಜ್ಯದ 216 ತಾಲೂಕುಗಳು ಭೀಕರ ಬರದಿಂದ ಕಂಗೆಟ್ಟಿವೆ,
ಈ ವರೆಗೆ ಕೇಂದ್ರದಿಂದ ನಯಾಪೈಸೆ ಪರಿಹಾರದ ಹಣ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾಗಿಲ್ಲ.
ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ @narendramodi ಅವರೇ,
ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಕಷ್ಟ – ದು:ಖಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮಿಡಿಯುವ ನಿಮ್ಮ 'ವಿಶಾಲ ಹೃದಯ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಕಟುವಾಗಿರುವುದು ಯಾಕೆ?ನಿಮ್ಮ ನೇತೃತ್ವದ @BJP4India ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಮೇಲೆ ಸೇಡು… pic.twitter.com/kjlvppR2bJ
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) October 27, 2023
“Is your BJP government taking revenge on Karnataka? This is not just my question, but the question of six-and-a-half crore self-respecting Kannadigas,” he said in another tweet.
With the hashtag #AnswerMadiModi (answer Modi), the Chief Minister, in a series of tweets, said that drought-hit Karnataka was facing a staggering loss of ₹33,770 crore, and despite a plea for ₹17,901 crore in relief, the Centre remains “silent”.
It is time to recollect the threats posed by @BJP4India leaders to Kannadigas during the elections. The result of which we are seeing now.
Why are the BJP MPs & Union Government ministers silent over extending drought relief to Karnataka?
Is it because their hate towards… pic.twitter.com/1kXYrF7Lj0
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) October 27, 2023
Stating that it was time to recollect the threats posed by BJP leaders to Kannadigas in the run-up to the May Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah said, “…the result of which we are seeing now. Why are the BJP MPs and Union government ministers silent over extending drought relief to Karnataka? Is it because of their hate towards Kannadigas?”
Karnataka had declared 16 taluks in the state drought-hit on 14 October, making the official number of drought-hit taluks to 216.
Of these 216 taluks — out of the total of 236 taluks in the state — 189 are classified as severely drought-hit and 27 moderately drought-hit taluks.
The Karnataka government had, on 4 October, informed the 10-member, inter-ministerial central team (IMCT), which was on a four-day visit to take stock of the drought situation, that this time, the state was facing a “green drought” and requested that the assessment be made based on factors like crop growth and yield.
The IMCT, led by the Joint Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, met the Cabinet Subcommittee on Disaster Management — consisting of the state’s Cabinet ministers and top officials — and followed it up by meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“We have discussed the drought situation in detail with the Central team and have given them the entire picture of its effect, especially on the farmers and their financial condition. We have also shared with them information on crop loss, estimates of loss — in how much acreage, along with data, statics and spot inspection reports, for about two hours,” Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had said then.
A green drought is generally understood to mean a period when there is limited rainfall due to which there is growth of new plants, but the growth is insubstantial.
Noting that while in some places the crops have been completely damaged and in other places despite germination, the crops’ growth has not been at normal levels or there has not been proper yield, with grains not forming in many cases, the minister said that the Central team was requested to analyse this in detail during the visit.
Gowda highlighted the fact that the state government, during the meeting, had put pressure on the team regarding the changes to be made in the guidelines to declare drought and informed them that there are a greater number of small and marginal farmers in Karnataka compared to the Union government’s figures.
(With PTI inputs)
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