Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has asked the central government to waive farm loans statewide due to a prolonged drought affecting farmers in over a hundred taluks. Speaking on Friday, he challenged state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra and former minister R. Ashoka to join him on a trip to Delhi to press the demand jointly. Shivakumar also announced plans to visit the drought-hit districts of Bagalkot and Vijayanagara to assess crop damage.
The state government has scheduled a special legislative session from September 21 to 23 to debate the drought and agrarian distress, alongside the contentious Kasturirangan report. While Shivakumar defended these moves as responsive to the farming community, opposition leaders have accused the Congress government of using the loan-waiver demand to shift blame to New Delhi. Meanwhile, the drought has further strained state finances already committed to funding welfare guarantee schemes.