K'taka cabinet declares 102 taluks drought-hit

Bangalore, Aug 24 (UNI) The Karnataka Cabinet today declared 102 taluks in the state as drought-hit following deficit rains this monsoon season.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meet here, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti said the taluks were identified as per the Central guidance that any taluk which had witnessed a dry spell for four continuous weeks during the season could be declared as drought-hit. Of the 102 taluks, 74 had experienced no rains for over four continuous weeks, he added.

He said a Cabinet Sub-Committee had been set up under Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar to look after relief works in these taluks on weekly basis.

Mr Horatti said both Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his Deputy B S Yediyurappa had instructed all the elected representatives of the affected taluks to collect data and submit to the government for early release of funds to ensure drinking water supply and implementation of other works.

Some more taluks were likely to be declared drought-hit as the weather forecast for the coming weeks was not encouraging, he added.

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