Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy flagging off a specially equipped aircraft at HAL Airport in Bengaluru on Thursday during the launch of the State government’s cloud-seeding programme.

| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Amid drought conditions, the Karnataka government on Friday launched a cloud-seeding programme in the hope of triggering rainfall in areas facing a severe rain deficit.The programme was flagged off at the HAL airport by Water Resources Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, according to a government communiqué. A specially equipped light aircraft will be used for cloud-seeding operations, and the project is estimated to cost ₹28.52 crore.The Minister admitted that a cloud-seeding operation undertaken earlier had a success rate of only 35%. However, he said every effort to augment water availability was important in the face of a worsening drought situation.Success rateHe said the State had received very little rainfall this year and that the southwest monsoon would conclude by the end of this month.“If adequate drinking water is not stored by the end of this month, there will be severe scarcity until the end of next June,” Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said.The government has set up a monitoring committee to oversee the operation. A technical advisory and evaluation committee will provide guidance and update information every two hours on where and how cloud seeding should be carried out.Specific districts will not be identified in advance for cloud-seeding operations. Instead, based on reports continuously provided by the technical team, aircraft will be deployed to rainfall-deficit areas, the catchments of major reservoirs, and districts facing agricultural distress whenever suitable clouds are detected using Doppler radar, the release said.How it worksThe technical process involves spraying chemicals into cumulonimbus clouds using flares to induce rainfall from the moisture they contain. Different chemicals are used depending on whether the clouds are warm or cold. Silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice and sodium chloride are among the substances commonly used for cloud seeding, the release said. Published - September 04, 2026 08:46 pm IST