Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will provide an immediate input subsidy of Rs 2,500 to each drought-hit farmer as the State steps up relief measures amid continuing concerns over deficient rainfall and crop losses.

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said the first phase of assistance would cover an estimated 45 lakh to 50 lakh farmers and involve an expenditure of around Rs 1,250 crore. The assistance is being extended while the State awaits financial support from the Centre under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The announcement came during the special session of the Karnataka Legislature convened to discuss the drought situation. The State government has been seeking Central assistance as the drought situation has worsened across several parts of Karnataka.

Rs 1,250 crore first-phase assistance

Parameshwara said the State had decided to provide immediate assistance instead of waiting for the Centre to complete its assessment and release drought-relief funds.

“Although assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from the Central government is yet to arrive, our government is providing immediate relief considering the difficulties faced by farmers,” he said.

The first phase is expected to benefit between 45 lakh and 50 lakh farmers. At Rs 2,500 per farmer, the government has estimated the initial financial commitment at around Rs 1,250 crore. The deputy chief minister said the amount should not be viewed as the final relief package, as further assistance would depend on the financial support received from the Centre.

Responding to criticism that Rs 2,500 was inadequate considering the extent of crop losses, Parameshwara said the government could not give an assurance at this stage on a revised amount.

He said additional relief measures would be considered after the Central government responds to Karnataka’s requests and the assessment of losses is completed.

State seeks Central drought assistance

Karnataka has been seeking financial assistance from the Centre as drought conditions have spread to more taluks. According to recent statements by the State government, 177 taluks had been declared drought-affected after an additional 76 taluks were added to the initial list of 101. The government has indicated that the number could rise further depending on the assessment of drought conditions.

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had on September 10 submitted the Kharif 2026 Drought Memorandum seeking Rs 3,705.30 crore in Central assistance for immediate relief measures in the 101 taluks initially declared drought-hit.

The Chief Minister subsequently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the early release of 50 per cent of the assistance sought, along with the advance release of the Centre’s share of the State Disaster Response Fund. The request was made against the backdrop of the time required for the formal Central assessment process.

The State government has said that the relief is needed for measures including crop-loss input subsidies, drinking water supply, livestock protection and other drought-related interventions.

Drought losses may exceed Rs 40,000 crore

Parameshwara said the overall losses caused by the drought could exceed Rs 40,000 crore. The figure is a preliminary estimate and the final amount eligible for assistance under NDRF norms will depend on the detailed assessment.

The government has said that the final assessment will be carried out in accordance with the prescribed drought-management and disaster-relief guidelines before a detailed demand is submitted to the Centre.

The State’s assessment has been complicated by the continuing deterioration in rainfall conditions. Earlier in September, the government said 30 of Karnataka’s 31 districts had received below-normal rainfall, with deficits particularly severe in some districts.

The deficient monsoon has also raised concerns over groundwater recharge, reservoir storage, agricultural production and drinking water availability. Shivakumar had warned that the impact could extend beyond agriculture to water and power availability in the coming months.

Central team expected to assess drought

Parameshwara said the Centre had communicated to the State that a team, including an IAS officer, would visit Karnataka to assess the drought situation. However, the date of the team’s visit had not been finalised.

The Central assessment is an important step in determining the extent of assistance that Karnataka could receive under the applicable disaster-relief norms.

Once the team completes its field assessment, the State is expected to have greater clarity on the scale of eligible Central assistance. Parameshwara said Karnataka would submit additional memoranda as the assessment of losses progresses.

The State had initially sought Rs 3,705.30 crore from the Centre for the 101 drought-declared taluks. With the addition of 76 more taluks, the government has indicated that another memorandum would be submitted.

Government cites existing farmer support

Parameshwara also pointed to other forms of support being provided to the agricultural sector. He said the State was spending around Rs 22,000 crore on electricity subsidy to provide free power to agricultural pump sets.

The government has maintained that such support, together with the newly announced input subsidy, is intended to provide immediate assistance while a broader drought-relief package is worked out.

The Rs 2,500 subsidy, however, is the first direct drought-related input assistance announced under the current relief measures. The eventual scale of support will depend partly on the outcome of the Central assessment and the funds released by the Centre.

All-party delegation to meet Centre

The State government is also preparing to take an all-party delegation to New Delhi to press for drought relief.

Parameshwara said Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had already clarified the proposal in the Legislative Assembly. He said an all-party meeting would first be convened to take all parties into confidence before the delegation travels to Delhi.

The delegation is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and Union Agriculture Minister to explain Karnataka’s drought situation and seek assistance for affected farmers.

Parameshwara said Opposition members would also be invited to join the delegation.

The date of the proposed Delhi visit has not yet been finalised.

With the southwest monsoon approaching its end and the State continuing to assess crop and other losses, Karnataka’s immediate focus is on providing relief to affected farmers while pursuing Central assistance. The Rs 1,250-crore first phase is therefore being positioned as interim support, with the possibility of further measures after the Central assessment and response.