Bengaluru: As many as 110 taluks of 220 in Karnataka have been declared as drought-hit. The State government had earlier declared 68 taluks drought-hit and on Wednesday it added 42 more, taking the number to 110.
Touted to be one of the worst droughts in history of the State, the government released Rs 74 crore for taking up drought-relief works. A lengthy discussion took place on Wednesday about the drought relief works to be taken up in the drought-hit taluks.
“The number is set to go up further in the coming weeks. Except for Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts, almost the entire state is reeling under severe drought,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister TB Jayachandra said. The grant of Rs 74 crore will be utilised for setting up goshalas (cattle shelters), digging borewells and supplying water through tankers.
The State government has directed the officials to prepare the assessment report of the losses suffered due to drought in most parts of the state and floods in Belagavi, Vijayapura, Kalaburgi and other places in the Krishna river basin. Jayachandra said that the State government would submit two separate memoranda to the Union government seeking relief package.
