CivilsIASPrep.comDrought report: On southwest monsoon, drought in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
What does this development mean for UPSC preparation?
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh face severe drought after deficient southwest monsoon, with both states seeking central assistance.
UPSC CSE Context
Why in News
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh face severe drought after deficient southwest monsoon, with both states seeking central assistance.
Syllabus Connection
Disaster management, federal fiscal relations, agriculture, climate change adaptation.
Exam Relevance
Relevant for questions on drought governance, NDRF norms, and Centre-State cooperation in disaster response.
Core Issue
Drought in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh after poor monsoon.
Key Development
Karnataka declared 217 of 240 taluks drought-hit; Andhra Pradesh declared 388 of 688 mandals drought-hit.
Stakeholders
- Government of Karnataka
- Government of Andhra Pradesh
- Union Government
- Farmers
- National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
- Inter-Ministerial Central Team
Static Knowledge
High-Value Background
- Drought declaration follows the Manual for Drought Management, which combines rainfall deficiency, crop loss, and ground-truthing.
- NDRF provides additional financial assistance to states for drought relief after central team verification.
Exam Linkage
- Useful for questions on disaster management frameworks and fiscal federalism in India.
Concepts in Context
- El Niño is associated with weakened monsoon rainfall in India, increasing drought risk.
- Micro-irrigation reduces water consumption compared to flood irrigation, aiding drought resilience.
Dynamic Analysis
Federalism
- States seek timely central assistance, but the Centre has previously delayed NDRF releases, creating friction.
- Karnataka's demand for ₹11,000 crore highlights fiscal stress in disaster response.
- The Centre's insistence on verification may be seen as bureaucratic hurdle versus accountability.
- States have expanded drought declarations, but the Centre has resisted, reflecting trust deficit.
Agriculture
- Extensive crop damage to red gram, maize, cotton, sugarcane, and horticulture affects farmer incomes.
- States promote micro-irrigation and less water-intensive crops but lack binding limits.
- Input subsidies and income support are critical to prevent indebtedness.
Climate Change
- IPCC warns of expanding drought-like conditions in South Asia, increasing frequency of such events.
- El Niño's role in current drought is suspected but attribution study pending.
- Need for long-term resilience through sustainable groundwater use and crop diversification.
- River-interlinking projects may distract from pro-resilience measures.
Disaster Management
- Manual for Drought Management has tightened declaration process since 2009, reducing subjectivity.
- Ground-truthing and inter-ministerial verification aim to ensure accurate assessment.
- States need to improve water storage and consumption discipline.
- Broadening agricultural insurance can provide risk mitigation.
Prelims Takeaways
- Manual for Drought Management (2009) guides drought declaration and relief.
Mains Value Addition
Arguments
- Timely central assistance is essential to prevent agrarian distress and farmer suicides.
- Drought relief must be delinked from land ownership to cover all affected cultivators.
- Binding water-use limits are necessary to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Climate adaptation requires integrating drought resilience into agricultural policy.
Examples
- Karnataka's ₹11,000 crore NDRF demand and Andhra Pradesh's ₹190 crore horticulture protection fund.
Data Points
- Karnataka rainfall deficit: ~35% in June-September; Andhra Pradesh: 53% in June-August.
Counterpoints
- States may exaggerate drought declarations to maximise central assistance.
- Centre's delay in releasing NDRF funds can worsen distress.
- River-interlinking projects may divert attention from sustainable water management.
Way Forward
- Strengthen agricultural insurance and income support mechanisms.