Nine more taluks declared drought-hit in Karnataka; total rises to 226

Karnataka has declared nine more taluks drought-affected, taking the total to 226, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said on Wednesday (October 14, 2026). The State government is preparing a final memorandum detailing the losses and seeking drought relief from the Centre, which is expected to be ready within a week.

The nine newly added taluks are Sakleshpur in Hassan district, classified as severely drought-affected, and Khanapur in Belagavi, Hosanagara and Sagara in Shivamogga, Puttur, Moodbidri and Mulki in Dakshina Kannada, and Joida and Dandeli in Uttara Kannada, which have been classified as moderately drought-affected.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Parameshwara said field verification had been completed in the nine taluks. Assessment under the Trigger-1 criteria was still under way in some of the remaining taluks, and those meeting the prescribed conditions would be taken up for ground verification.

The final estimate of drought-related losses and the amount of relief to be sought would be determined after the memorandum was completed, in accordance with National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines, he said.

“Last year, we sought around ₹18,000 crore in drought relief. This year, losses have occurred across almost the entire State, and 226 taluks have already been declared drought-affected. If more taluks qualify, the losses will increase further,” he said.

Relax NDRF guidelines

The State government has asked the Centre to relax the NDRF guidelines governing drought relief. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and he had written to the Union government seeking a relaxation of the norms, he said.

The Union Agriculture Minister had informed that the request would be examined, but the State had received no further response so far, Mr. Parameshwara said.

Once the memorandum is ready, the government will decide on sending a delegation led by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to Delhi to submit it to the Centre and seek assistance.

The government’s priority was to protect farmers’ livelihoods, provide relief for crop losses and safeguard rural communities affected by the drought, he said.

Cabinet to discuss SC/ST reservation verdict

Mr. Parameshwara also said the State Cabinet would discuss the Karnataka High Court verdict on enhanced reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes at its meeting on Thursday (October 15, 2026).

The Cabinet would decide whether the government should challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court or seek the inclusion of the State’s reservation law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, he said.

The High Court on October 12 struck down provisions of a 2022 State law that increased reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7%, holding that the enhanced quota breached the 50% ceiling.

Further action would be taken after the Cabinet considered the judgment and decided on the government’s course, Mr. Parameshwara added.