Food production in Karnataka set to fall 35% below target

Bengaluru, Feb 23: Food production in Karnataka is set to fall short of the stated target by a whopping 35% in the current financial year on account of successive years of drought.

The state will produce only 91.45 lakh tonnes of foodgrain against the target of 140 lakh tonnes, Minister for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda said here on Wednesday.

The drastic reduction in foodgrain production has been caused by the failure of southwest and southeast monsoons. As many as 139 out of 177 taluks were declared drought-hit in the kharif season. In the rabi season, this figure went up to 160.

Rice, maize, jowar and ragi crops will be the worst affected. Production of oil seeds and cotton is also estimated to come down. But production of pulses will be better than that of cereals. In 2015-16, food production in Karnataka was 110 lakh tonnes, he added.

Gowda, however, said the supply of food items to people was unlikely to be affected as the country as a whole was set to register record food production of 170 million tonnes and because the agro market was integrated. He added that the figures were tentative.

‘Krishi Bhagya a success’

Quoting a survey conducted by the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, the minister said the government’s flagship Krishi Bhagya scheme had helped farmers double their yield. “Beneficiary farmers have made a profit of Rs 15 on investment of every Rs 100. The crop yield has doubled in many instances. This is despite drought in almost all parts of the state,” he said, quoting the survey.

Gowda, however, did not disclose all the findings of the survey. Under the scheme, the government provides financial assistance to farmers to build farm ponds with polythene linings (to prevent percolation), instal pumps and sprinkler irrigation systems (for efficient water utilisation).

The minister said the government would build 30,000 more farm ponds in the current financial year given the demand from farmers.

He also said the government would provide shade nets at 50% subsidy to cover farm ponds given the increasing accidents. The decision to cover farm ponds was taken as cases of farmers and cattle drowning in them were reported from across the state, he added.

Missed target

Estimated production of major food crops:

91.45 lakh tonnes (target: 140 lakh tonnes)

Rice: 30.4 lakh tonnes (target: 45.76 lakh tonnes)

Maize: 31.21 lakh tonnes (target: 45.76 lakh tonnes)

Jowar: 6.47 lakh tonnes (target: 15 lakh tonnes)

Ragi: 6.37 lakh tonnes (target: 14.65 lakh tonnes)

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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