D.K. Shivakumar invites BJP leaders to join him in seeking farm loan waiver from Centre

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar offering prayers at the confluence of the Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha rivers at Kudal Sangam in Bagalkot on Friday.

| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday urged the Centre to waive farm loans in Karnataka in view of the drought and called on BJP leaders to join him in pressing for the demand in New Delhi. The State government has declared 101 taluks as drought-affected for the kharif season following a deficit monsoon.On the drought situation, Mr. Shivakumar said neither the BJP nor the JD(S) had adequately raised the issue during the Monsoon Session, prompting the government to convene a special session. “The Centre should also provide funds. There is a need to take an all-party delegation,” he said.Mr. Shivakumar pointed out that BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra had demanded a farm loan waiver and urged him and Leader of Opposition R. Ashok to join him in Delhi to press the Centre on the issue.Speaking at Kudal Sangam in Bagalkot, where he conducted a drought review on Friday, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar reiterated that the Union government should waive all farm loans as Karnataka is facing one of the worst droughts in decades.“I strongly demand that the Union government waive all farm loans, as crop-loss compensation alone is not enough. Farmers need more financial support to repay loans and buy inputs for the next cropping season,” he said.The Chief Minister added, “We are doing our best, but we need the Union government’s support. The State government has prepared a list of drought-hit taluks as per the Central calamity relief guidelines. These guidelines include factors such as the number of rainless days and humidity levels. We cannot simply look at empty fields and declare a drought; we have to go by these guidelines. We may revise the list based on two more surveys. Thereafter, we will await the Union government’s drought assessment team, which will conduct its own survey. The Union government will then announce relief amounts,” he said.The Legislature’s special session will be held from September 21 to 23 to discuss the drought situation, the agrarian crisis and the Kasturirangan report on the proposed Western Ghats eco-sensitive zone. Published - September 04, 2026 07:34 pm IST