Karnataka has estimated its drought losses at Rs 46,324.50 crore across 177 taluks and has asked the Centre for Rs 7,142.64 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund for the 2026 kharif season. Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said on 6 October that the state had never seen a drought of this kind. The state declared 101 taluks drought-affected on 27 August, 23 more on 17 September and 53 more on 22 September, and it was verifying a further 40. Three Central teams visited districts in early October to assess the damage, and the state wants an all-party delegation to meet the Prime Minister, the Union Agriculture Minister and the Home Minister in Delhi.
The argument that the state has a strong case is based on the scale of the claim and the process it has followed. The first memorandum sought Rs 3,705.30 crore for 101 taluks, and a supplementary memorandum added Rs 3,437.34 crore for 76 more. The claim covers crop damage, farmers, livestock, drought-affected communities and drinking water. The state has pointed to precedent: in 2023 to 2024, losses were estimated at nearly Rs 49,000 crore, and the state asked for Rs 18,000 crore but received only Rs 3,500 crore after the Supreme Court intervened. A united approach, the state argues, would make a stronger case this time, and on 19 October Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar said opposition leaders had also expressed willingness to join the delegation, with a visit possible between Dasara and Kannada Rajyotsava on 1 November.
The counter-argument is that the politics has not been settled. In late September the BJP and the JD(S) refused to join the proposed delegation, and on 6 October Parameshwara said he was disappointed by statements from opposition leaders that they would not join. The claim itself is also a large one: the amount sought from the Centre, Rs 7,142.64 crore, is about 15 percent of the estimated losses of Rs 46,324.50 crore, and the earlier experience showed that the Centre can release much less than the state asks. The number of drought-hit taluks has also changed repeatedly, and reports in mid-October said more taluks would be added, so the totals are likely to move again. There is no confirmed commitment from the BJP to join the delegation.
For the state the stakes are high, since drought hits farmers first and rural spending soon after. How quickly central aid arrives will affect crop compensation and drinking water supply in the worst-hit districts. For the country, the dispute is a reminder of the recurring argument over how disaster funds are shared between the Centre and the states.
Karnataka has built a detailed case for central assistance, but the size of the release and the participation of the opposition remain uncertain. The Delhi visit planned for late October or early November will show how much weight the state’s claim carries. In the end the outcome will also depend on the report of the three Central teams, which the Chief Secretary and officers were to brief before the findings went to the Government of India.
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