Drought Report, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are experiencing a substantial drought following a significantly deficient southwest monsoon.
• Karnataka reported a nearly 35% rainfall deficit from June-September, leading to 217 out of 240 taluks being declared drought-hit.
• Andhra Pradesh faced a 53% rainfall shortfall in June-August, with 388 of 688 mandals declared drought-hit.
• Major crops like red gram, maize, cotton, and sugarcane in Karnataka, and horticulture crops over 18,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh, have suffered extensive damage.
• Karnataka has requested ₹11,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and higher input subsidies from the Centre.
• Andhra Pradesh has allocated ₹190 crore for horticulture crop protection and initiated drinking water conservation measures.
• This year's summer monsoon was the poorest since 2015, with warnings of strengthening El Niño effects.

Detailed Insights:

• The drought declaration process has been tightened since 2009 by the Manual for Drought Management and Finance Commission decisions, moving away from subjective claims.
• Despite improved guidelines, states still have incentives to expand declarations, while the Centre sometimes delays NDRF assistance, as seen with Karnataka in 2024.
• The Centre is urged to release support promptly after Inter-Ministerial Central Team findings are verified, to mitigate farmer indebtedness and expand relief beyond land ownership.
• States need to improve water storage and rationalize consumption, promoting micro-irrigation and less water-intensive crops, though binding limits are not yet imposed.
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned of expanding drought conditions in South Asia, necessitating pro-resilience aims like sustainable groundwater use and crop selection based on local conditions.
• Broadening agricultural insurance and providing income support are crucial measures to resist drought, rather than relying on long-term projects like river-interlinking.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF): A fund managed by the Central Government under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to provide emergency relief and rehabilitation during severe disasters, supplementing State Disaster Response Funds.
• Manual for Drought Management: A document issued by the Union Ministry of Agriculture (first in 2009, updated in 2016 and 2020) that guides the understanding, monitoring, declaration, response, and mitigation of drought in India.
• El Niño: A climate pattern characterized by the unusual warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, often leading to weaker monsoons and drought conditions in India.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): The United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, providing regular scientific assessments to policymakers on its implications, risks, and potential solutions.