Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has directed officials to carry out an extensive field-level survey of drought conditions across Karnataka before submitting a report to the Central government. The report, expected within the next 15 days, will be based on actual ground realities rather than paperwork, ensuring that accurate information is available when the Centre’s assessment team visits the State.
Addressing the media after a Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said he has instructed all district officials to personally inspect farms and interact with farmers before preparing their reports. “I do not want reports prepared only from office records. Officials must witness the situation firsthand and submit factual assessments supported by field visits,” he said.
Shivakumar said the State has already requested the Central government to send a team to assess the drought situation. He added that Karnataka’s Members of Parliament will also be briefed before the upcoming Parliament session so they can present the State’s concerns effectively.
The Chief Minister revealed that a detailed review meeting lasting nearly four hours was held to assess rainfall, water availability, fodder supply, and other drought-related issues. Officials have been instructed to remain stationed at their headquarters and respond quickly to local needs. The government is also exploring various employment programmes to provide work in rural areas and prevent migration.
Appealing to farmers to exercise caution, Shivakumar advised them not to sow crops in anticipation of future water releases. He pointed out that reservoir levels remain critically low, with hydropower reservoirs holding only about 23% of their capacity, while water storage in the Cauvery and Krishna river basins has also declined significantly. Thousands of minor irrigation tanks across the State currently have less than half of their storage capacity.
According to the Chief Minister, Karnataka has experienced an overall rainfall deficit of nearly 68%. Of the State’s 178 taluks, 158 have received below-normal rainfall, while around 20 taluks have recorded almost no rainfall. He described the drought situation in Vijayanagara district as particularly severe.
The government has also directed officials to document field inspections through photographs and video recordings so that the final drought report reflects the actual situation. Shivakumar warned officials against depending solely on statistical data and instructed them to verify every detail personally. He stressed that drinking water supply, livestock fodder, crop insurance assistance and the sinking of borewells should receive top priority. Any irregularities or false claims in drought-relief works, he warned, would invite strict action.
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara expressed concern over the slow implementation of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), saying that the programme has not begun in many parts of Karnataka despite worsening drought conditions. Of nearly 5,000 gram panchayats, around 2,443 are yet to start employment works under the scheme, with only a handful of districts showing satisfactory progress.
Parameshwara instructed all Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers to immediately launch employment projects, particularly in drought-hit districts such as Ballari, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir and Vijayanagara, where migration in search of work has increased. He noted that groundwater levels have dropped by nearly four metres in 88 taluks, reservoir storage continues to decline and more villages are becoming dependent on tanker water supply.
Shivakumar also directed officials to maintain complete documentation of every project undertaken under the employment guarantee programme. He said the State government is prepared to contribute its share of funding and emphasized that community development, infrastructure creation and beneficiary-oriented works should be implemented transparently with proper records. The government’s primary objective, he said, is to ensure rural families receive employment locally and are not forced to migrate to other States.
The Chief Minister further announced that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Karnataka shortly to interact with students and participate in the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the new Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru.
