Question : DROUGHT CONDITION

MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI LAL CHAND KATARIA)

(a) & (b) As per the information furnished by Government of Karnataka, the people of Karnataka particularly in the Koppal MP Constituency are facing frequent drought conditions during recent years in view of erratic rainfall.

The year wise rainfall details and the Taluks declared as drought affected during last three years in the Koppal MP Constituency are as below:

Year	Normal (mm)	Actual (mm)	Deficit (%)
2011-12	584.3	411.20	29.63
2012-13	584.3	384.00	34.30
2013-14	584.30	539.90	7.60

Drought affected Taluks as declared by Government of Karnataka in Koppal district;

Year	Taluks
2011-12	Koppal, Gangavathi,	Kustagi, Yelburga,	Sindhanur, Siraguppa
2012-13	Koppal, Gangavathi,	Kustagi, Yelburga,	Sindhanur, Siraguppa
2013-14	Gangavathi,Kustagi,	Yelburga,Sindhanur,	Siraguppa

(c) & (d) The Department of Land Resources, Government of India has been implementing Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) with the aim of minimizing the drought effect and improving the productivity of rainfed /degraded areas. So, far 18 number of IWMP projects with the financial allocation of Rs.117.40 crores covering an area of 84,414 hectares have been sanctioned for Koppal MP Constituency from 2009-10.

Under IWMP, the project area is treated scientifically by taking up activities such as field bunds, trench cum bunds, waste weirs, farm ponds, small check dams, nalabunds, percolation tanks, agro-forestry, dry land horticulture, fodder development etc. These activities conserve the natural resources and help to retain in-situ moisture for longer periods, thereby contributing to higher productivity besides recharge of ground water and drought proofing.

Production systems activities are taken up in the treated area to enhance productivity. Income Generating activities are also taken up through Self Help Groups (SHGs) thereby providing employment to the land less people.

As per the information of Government of Karnataka, during the last three years, an area of 40,916.80 hectares has been treated by spending an amount of Rs.36.95 crore and 7,06,952 mandays have been generated . About 300 number of SHGs have been formed to provide livelihood and Rs.1.42 crore has been released to SHGs as a revolving fund to take up income generating activities and also to link them up for bank loans for improving their income levels.