Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced the assistance will be distributed in two phases to support farmers before Diwali.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Thursday that the state will provide Rs 5,000 in drought relief to every eligible farmer. According to ANI, the government intends to deliver this support ahead of the Diwali festival to assist those in distress.
The relief will be distributed in two stages. An initial amount of Rs 2,500 will be sent via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), while the second half will be released in the following days. Shivakumar has already distributed Rs 17.43 crore to 1,06,462 farmers in Yadgir district as a first step.
The Chief Minister stated that payment processing is underway for 15 other districts, including Kolar, Ballari, and Mandya. He noted that the first instalment for these areas will be paid soon, with the second instalment expected within 15 to 20 days.
Shivakumar said the assistance might not fully cover all losses but aims to provide relief. He added that any remaining approved subsidy will be paid in one go once funds are received from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
The state has reported crop damage across 57.93 lakh hectares, leading to 226 taluks being declared drought-affected. Shivakumar noted that Karnataka has faced estimated losses of Rs 62,000 crore and has requested Rs 22,400 crore in relief from the Centre.
Additionally, the Chief Minister mentioned that the allocation for free electricity to farmers may need to increase from Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore due to higher consumption during the drought.
