Karnataka Plans Contingency Measures For Potential Dry Spell

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge announced on Friday that the state's Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) is in the process of drafting a contingency plan to tackle a possible dry spell.

Kharge stated that district collectors had been directed to submit reports on local challenges to facilitate emergency planning and implementation.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/PriyankKharge

"The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disaster Management convened yesterday to assess the situation and devise a preparedness blueprint for the forthcoming summer. The RDPR (Government of Karnataka) is currently formulating a contingency plan to address a potential dry spell. District CEOs have been instructed to submit reports on local legacy issues to enable more effective emergency planning and implementation," Kharge posted on X.

This follows a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disaster Management on February 20, aimed at preparing for the summer months, which could bring a potential dry spell.

Previously, the Karnataka government firmly rejected allegations concerning the state's utilisation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) funds, asserting that it had "diligently utilised" all funds released by the central government.

The state government further stated that it had "allocated additional state resources to ensure the smooth implementation of the mission," dismissing any claims of fund mismanagement as "misleading and not based on facts."

Additionally, Karnataka alleged that the state had faced considerable delays in receiving JJM funds from the Government of India for the financial year 2024-25.

Kharge, who also oversees the Electronics, IT, and Biotechnology departments, reaffirmed that the Karnataka government had effectively utilised all available Jal Jeevan Mission funds, demonstrating a strong financial commitment to the initiative.

Meanwhile, on 20 February, Kharge praised Google's new Bengaluru campus, 'Ananta,' stating that it further reinforced the city's status as India's Silicon Valley.

He highlighted that Bengaluru remains the preferred hub for global technology firms looking to expand their footprint in India.