Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced and initiated the disbursal of a special flood-relief package of Rs 1,033.60 crore to support farmers who suffered crop damage during this year’s intense monsoon season.
The package aims to provide additional input subsidy to 14.24 lakh farmers across 27 districts whose crops were destroyed or severely affected by excessive rainfall and flooding. Officials said the assistance will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible farmers under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system to ensure transparency and prevent delays.
The additional subsidy has been introduced to ease the distress faced by farmers, with compensation enhanced from Rs 8,500 per hectare to Rs 17,000 per hectare in rain-fed areas, and from Rs 17,000 per hectare to Rs 25,000 per hectare in irrigated lands. For areas under annual multiple crops, compensation has been raised from Rs 22,500 per hectare to Rs 31,000 per hectare.
As per NDRF norms, the state government has already disbursed Rs 1,218.03 crore in input subsidy to 14.24 lakh farmers. In total, Rs 2,251.63 crore has now been transferred to farmers’ bank accounts.
Siddaramaiah said that he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 17 and sought financial assistance from the Centre. A memorandum has been submitted to the Prime Minister seeking the release of Rs 614.90 crore as input subsidy for crop loss and compensation, along with Rs 1,521.67 crore for rebuilding damaged infrastructure. An inter-ministerial team from the Union government is expected to visit the state soon, he added.
Agriculture department officials noted that the majority of affected farmers belong to regions that witnessed prolonged rain spells and repeated flooding between June and October. Crops such as paddy, maize, sugarcane, tur, cotton, and various horticultural produce suffered extensive damage, resulting in major economic setbacks for rural communities. Crops on about 14.58 lakh hectares were damaged, with total crop loss estimated at around Rs 10,748 crore.
The state government has directed district administrations to complete pending crop-loss assessments and update relief distribution records to ensure no eligible farmer is left out. Additional measures — including repair of rural infrastructure and restoration of irrigation channels — are being planned as part of a broader post-flood recovery strategy.
The Rs 1,033 crore relief package is expected to provide crucial support as farmers prepare for the next agricultural cycle amid rising input costs and frequent climate-related disruptions.