Karnataka incurred crop loss of ₹35,000 crore due to drought, hope 2024 will be promising: CM Siddaramaiah

Relief from government not enough if nature doesn't support, says Siddaramaiah.

Published on: Jan 2, 2024, 16:05:16 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the state incurred a crop loss of ₹35,000 crore in 48 lakh hectares due to the drought and asserted that relief from the government will not be sufficient if nature does not support it.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru. (PTI)

Extending new year greetings to senior government secretaries who met him today, the chief minister hoped that 2024 would be a promising year for the state.

READ | Amid water shortage and Covid, Karnataka looks at 2024 with new hope

"We have incurred a crop loss of ₹35,000 crore in 48 lakh hectares in the state due to the drought. Relief from the government will not be sufficient if nature does not support us. We are facing this situation due to climate change. Good rains are expected during the monsoon in 2024. I pray to God for a good monsoon," he said after exchanging greetings with the government secretaries.

Siddaramaiah stressed that the severity of drought was less due to the state government's poll guarantees.

The chief minister said that rain is necessary for development to reach the desired expectation. More than 60 per cent of people are dependent on agriculture.

"It is because of our guarantees that the severity of the drought has been reduced. Poor families have gained purchasing power," he said.

READ | ‘Avoid making casual comments’: Karnataka CM on Shivanand Patil's farmers remarks

He opined that although there is drought, its intensity has been reduced to some extent.

Quoting the universal basic income policy, the chief minister said the income of the people has increased and economic activities have been given impetus.

"People have chosen us for the development of the state. The government has chosen the bureaucrats," he said.

Siddaramaiah said that change in society can be brought only about with a pro-people and social approach.

"We have to work according to the people’s expectation and understanding the Constitution," he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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