Mysuru faces 55% rainfall deficit, crop losses due to drought estimated at ₹122 crore

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara, who presided over a drought assessment meeting at the Zilla Panchayat in Mysuru on Tuesday (September 1). | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara on Tuesday (September 1) expressed concern over severe rainfall deficit, decline in employment generation and poor crop insurance enrollment in Mysuru district and directed officials to intensify relief measures.

Dr. Parameshwara, who chaired a zilla panchayat drought assessment meeting here after inspecting the affected areas in Hunsur and KR Nagar taluks, said Mysuru area was supposed to receive 310 mm of normal rainfall from June to August-end but received only 140 mm, resulting in a 55% rainfall deficit. The deficit was 56% in June, 61% in July and 45% in August.

Eight taluks — HD Kote, Hunsur, KR Nagar, Mysuru, Nanjangud, Saligrama, Saragur and T. Narasipura — have been declared severely drought-affected, he said.

Dr. Expressing concern over the decline in job creation, Parameshwara said only 1.91 lakh person-days of employment had been created in Mysuru since July 2026, a 55% drop compared to last year. “If 4.33 lakh working days were created during the same period last year with good rainfall, why has this number come down so sharply this year? Don’t people need work? What is the CEO of the zilla panchayat and the officials below him doing?” he asked.

Crop insurance

He also raised the agriculture and horticulture department over poor enrollment of farmers in crop insurance. While crop insurance has been closed for 49.64 lakh farmer applications covering 33,17,167 hectares across the state, only 20,836 farmers have enrolled in Mysuru covering 8,046 hectares.

“Why are officials showing such carelessness? Why didn’t they invite farmers to register? Irresponsibility will not be tolerated,” he warned.

Regarding feed availability, Dr. Parameshwara said Mysuru district has 7,04,890 tonnes of fodder, which is enough for around 33 weeks. However, availability was lower in Mysuru and Hunsur taluks at 25 weeks and Periyapatna at 26 weeks. “Farmers who have borers should be given fodder seeds and encouraged to grow fodder,” he said.

The government has already released ₹25 crore to the animal husbandry department for distribution of fodder kits, he added.

Drinking water

Drinking water problems were reported in 14 gram panchayats across six talukas. Six villages are supplied with water through six cisterns, while nine villages get their water through 10 leased private wells. In urban areas, 14 tankers supply water to 13 districts across three urban local bodies (ULBs).

He said drought review meetings for Belagavi and Kalaburagi Revenue Division have been completed and he has personally reviewed the situation and conducted field inspections in Belagavi, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Chickballapur and Kolar districts.

Crop loss

The estimated crop loss due to drought in Mysuru district is around ₹ 122 crore.

Joint Director of Agriculture KH Ravi told the meeting that 2,12,751 hectares, about 56% of the cultivable area, had been sown this year. Of this, nearly 50% of the sown area was affected and the crop destroyed due to lack of rainfall.

Last year, 3,76,609 hectares were sown, which represents roughly 76% of the cultivable area. The district has experienced a lack of rainfall during both the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods this year.

The meeting was attended by Mysuru district in-charge minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, MLAs, MLCs and senior officials.

Published – 01 Sep 2026 23:55 IST