K'taka govt to pay crop loss compensation of up to Rs 2,000 per farmer, as immediate relief
Bengaluru, Nov 30: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said with the Centre delaying drought relief, the state government has decided to pay the first instalment of crop loss compensation, of up to Rs 2,000 per farmer, as immediate relief.
He said the amount will be paid to eligible farmers in four to five days after getting data from the district and taluk level.
The Karnataka government has declared 223 out of the total 236 taluks in the state as drought hit.
"As the Centre has delayed releasing drought relief, the state government has decided to give crop loss compensation of up to Rs 2,000 per farmer, as a first instalment, as immediate relief, to eligible farmers. The process will begin probably in four to five days," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Out of the total relief that a farmer is entitled to, now up to Rs 2,000 will be paid by the state government, and once the Central relief comes, the balance amount will be paid to the farmer."
Noting that a minimum of Rs 1,000 will be paid to a farmer, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda clarified that, "some farmers may have just half acre, and would not be eligible for Rs 2,000 compensation. So, based on the extent of the land holding of a farmer, the amount will be paid."
Implementation will be worked out in four-five days, after getting a report from the Deputy Commissioners of districts, regarding eligible farmers, he added.
Pointing out that the state has witnessed a crop loss in estimated 48.19 lakh hectares, the Chief Minister said, the state has sought a financial relief of Rs 18,171.44 crore as per NDRF norms from the Centre, and the crop loss compensation sought is to the tune of over Rs 4,663 crore.
The state had submitted the memorandum to the Centre seeking drought relief on September 21, and subsequently the Central team visited the state between October 4-9, he said, despite the central team submitting the report to the Union government, the High Level Committee of Central Ministers chaired by Union Home Minister has not met yet.
Alleging that the Central Ministers did not even give an appointment to Ministers from the state for a meeting seeking relief, and Karnataka Ministers had to meet Union Home and Agriculture Secretaries as Ministers were not available during their visit to Delhi, the CM said our Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Agriculture Minister Cheluvarayaswamy were finally able to meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and seek relief.
"But, till today they (HLC) have not held any meeting and have not provided any relief," he said.
The CM further listed out that the per hectare crop loss compensation fixed by the Central government is -- Rs 8,500 for rain fed, while for irrigated is Rs 17,000, and for perennial crops it is Rs 22,500, and highlighted that how much the landholding of a farmer could be, compensation will be given only up to 2 hectares, with is about 5 acres.
Pointing out that he had on Saturday written to the Union Home Minister seeking an appointment and stating that he would meet him to discuss drought relief, Siddaramaiah said till now there was no response.
He said, for sowing failure and mid season adversity for 6.5 lakh farmers, the state government has released Rs 460 crore, along with that for drinking water, fodder and employment to people Rs 325 crore has been released by his government, while Rs 780 crore is the 'PD accounts' of the Deputy Commissioners of the district, which they had been releasing as per needs.
The state has also decided to increase the employment days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from 100 days to 150 days in view of severe drought prevailing in the State, and has written to the Centre in this regard, but the Central government has not yet given permission for this, the CM added.
Claiming that the state government has decided to give up to Rs 2,000 as immediate relief to farmers, with an intention to help them, and not under opposition's pressure or fearing possible attacks from them on the issue, during the upcoming Assembly session, Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP and its 25 MPs from the state for not getting enough in getting Central relief.
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Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
