Gadag crop losses Rs 219 crore, minister seeks drought relief

Gadag district has suffered crop losses worth Rs 219 crore due to drought, district in-charge minister Basavaraj Rayareddi said. He added that each of the over 180 drought-hit taluks in Karnataka needs Rs 500 crore for relief and employment. A Union government team will assess conditions before a formal drought declaration, he noted.

Rayareddi said Rs 6,000 crore has been set aside for the VB-G RAM G scheme, which will employ about two lakh people for 125 days. He urged the Centre to disburse more funds, pointing out that Karnataka contributes Rs 4.5 lakh crore in taxes but gets only Rs 68,000 crore back.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy criticised the state government for failing to mitigate the drought, accusing it of wasting public money on a freedom festival. He highlighted severe drinking water shortages and farmer distress in Kalyana Karnataka districts. The minister spoke in Bagalkot after inaugurating a cooperative society building and handloom sales centre.