Mysuru: Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday inspected several drought-affected areas in Mysuru district to assess crop losses caused by deficient rainfall and hear the grievances of farmers facing difficulties.
During his visit to Kanchugaran Koppalu village in KR Nagar taluk, Parameshwara interacted with farmers and gathered details about the extent of crop damage, the impact of inadequate rainfall on agricultural activities and the financial hardships faced by farming families.
Crops withering at germination stage
Farmers and agriculture officials informed the Deputy Chief Minister that several crops had suffered severe damage due to the prolonged shortage of rainfall.
Crops including ragi, jowar and tobacco were reported to have withered at the germination stage itself because of the failure of rains. The situation has raised concerns among farmers who have already invested money in seeds, labour and other agricultural inputs.
The crop loss has added to the financial pressure on farming communities, with many farmers struggling to recover their investment due to the poor crop prospects.
Parameshwara directed officials to assess the losses comprehensively and document the impact of the drought across affected areas.
Comprehensive crop-loss report to be prepared
Assuring farmers that the state government would extend necessary assistance, Parameshwara said a detailed report on crop losses would be prepared and submitted to the Union government.
He said the state would seek greater financial assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to support farmers affected by the drought.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said the government would urge the Centre to relax the existing NDRF norms so that severely affected taluks could receive adequate relief.
According to Parameshwara, the state government would present the ground realities and extent of crop damage before the Union government while seeking additional assistance for drought-hit farmers.
The assessment of crop losses is expected to help the government determine the extent of relief required and identify the areas that need immediate intervention.
Warning to microfinance institutions
Parameshwara also addressed concerns over loan recovery practices during the drought.
He said farmers were already facing considerable financial distress because of crop losses and warned microfinance institutions against harassing them in the name of loan recovery.
The Deputy Chief Minister said financial institutions must follow the rules and guidelines issued by the government while recovering loans from borrowers.
He warned that stringent legal action would be initiated against institutions found violating the prescribed rules or resorting to harassment.
The assurance is significant for farmers who may be unable to repay loans on time because of the loss of agricultural income. The government has sought to ensure that drought-related financial difficulties do not lead to additional pressure on vulnerable farming families.
Ambedkar Bhavan project reviewed
During his interaction with local residents in KR Nagar, Parameshwara also addressed confusion surrounding the construction of Ambedkar Bhavan in the town.
He announced that the facility would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 crore.
Residents had raised concerns regarding the status and progress of the project. Responding to the issue, Parameshwara said he had instructed the officials concerned as well as the contractor to complete the construction work at the earliest.
The Deputy Chief Minister assured locals that the government would take steps to ensure that the project progressed without further delay.
The proposed Ambedkar Bhavan is expected to serve as an important public facility for local programmes and community activities once completed.
Officials accompany Deputy Chief Minister
The drought inspection was attended by KR Nagar MLA D Ravishankar, Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy, Joint Director of Agriculture K H Ravi and officials from various government departments.
The presence of officials from different departments enabled the government to assess the drought situation from multiple perspectives, including agriculture, revenue and local administration.
Parameshwara sought details about the conditions prevailing in the affected areas and the problems being faced by farmers and residents.
The inspection comes at a time when deficient rainfall has created challenges for agricultural activity in several parts of the state. The government’s focus is now on documenting crop losses, seeking additional assistance from the Centre and extending relief to farmers in the worst-affected areas.
Focus on timely drought relief
The Deputy Chief Minister’s visit highlighted the need for timely intervention in areas where inadequate rainfall has affected crop growth at an early stage.
With farmers reporting damage to major crops such as ragi, jowar and tobacco, a detailed assessment will be crucial for determining the extent of compensation and other forms of government support.
The state government’s proposed request for additional NDRF assistance and relaxation of existing norms could help severely affected taluks access greater financial support.
The government has also indicated that protecting farmers from undue pressure over loan repayment will form part of its response to the drought situation.
The inspection concluded with assurances that the crop-loss assessment would be expedited and that the concerns raised by farmers would be taken up with the appropriate authorities. The government is expected to use the findings from the field-level assessment to prepare its report to the Centre and seek enhanced drought relief.