Karnataka asks Centre to declare drought situation as ‘calamity of national significance’
Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister has requested the Union government to declare the state's drought a 'calamity of national significance.' The request follows severe rainfall deficits that have impacted agriculture and drinking water supplies across multiple districts.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between state and central governments regarding disaster relief funding and the impact of climate change on regional agriculture.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealing to him to consider declaring the prevailing drought situation in Karnataka as a “calamity of national significance” and extend assistance commensurate with such a situation.
In a letter, Dr. Parameshwara has argued that such a measure should be taken given the “exceptional scale of rainfall deficit across Karnataka, the rapidly emerging drinking water crisis, and the far-reaching implications for agriculture and rural livelihoods.”
This would greatly strengthen the State’s ability to undertake immediate mitigation measures and protect vulnerable communities, he maintained. “At this critical juncture, timely intervention by the Government of India will provide immense reassurance to farmers, rural households and millions dependent on public drinking water systems,” he said.
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