State government taking steps to mitigate drought effect, says Minister
District in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi stated that 14 taluks in Belagavi have been declared drought-affected due to a rainfall deficit.
The State government is working to reduce the impact of drought and protect farmers, according to The Hindu, district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi said in Belagavi on Sunday.
Minister Jarkiholi stated that 14 taluks in the district have been declared drought-affected because of a severe deficit in rainfall. He noted that crop damage has been reported across roughly 5.04 lakh hectares in the district.
A request for ₹680.32 crore in compensation for these crop losses has been sent to the Central government. The Minister added that the State government has already released interim relief for drought crop loss compensation.
Regarding sowing, the Minister said that only about 10 per cent of cultivable land in the district has been sown for the rabi season. So far, 0.40 lakh hectares have been brought under sowing, which is 10 per cent of the 4.1 lakh hectare target.
During the kharif season, 7.50 lakh hectares were sown against a target of 7.52 lakh hectares, representing a 99.70 per cent achievement, though crops faced water stress. The Agriculture Department used a ₹8.66 crore grant to distribute 32,882 quintals of subsidised high-quality seeds to 79,637 farmers.
The Minister also mentioned that 2.04 lakh tonnes of fertilisers were distributed in the district during the kharif season. Distribution of seeds and fertilisers for the rabi season is currently in progress.