Karantaka CM meets PM; demands release of funds from Centre

Agencies

March 9, 2019

New Delhi, Mar 9: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and appealed for the release of pending funds under National Distar Relief Funds (NDRF) and MGNREGA for drought mitigation and wage component and material component to the state.

The state faced floods and landslides due to monsoon fury in Kodagu, Malnad and coastal districts on one hand and on the other prolonged dry spells and deficit rainfall caused severe drought in 100 talukas out of 176 talukas in 2018-2019.

Against the memorandum seeking financial assistance of Rs. 2434 crore as per NDRF norms, central assistance of Rs. 949.49 crore was approved, which is less than 50 per cent of the input subsidy claim by the state, the CM said in a memorandum submitted to the PM.

During the Rabi season, there was only 96 mm rainfall against 188 mm and North interior Karnataka had 66 per cent rain deficit. Out of 176 talukas, 156 have been declared drought affected. Out of this, 107 are severely affected and 49 are moderately affected. Total crop loss during rabi season is estimated at Rs 11,384.47 crore.

Crop loss during Khariff and Rabi altogether is Rs 32,335 crore which has had an adverse effect on the State’s economy, he said.

The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to release these funds immediately so that the state can make further wage payments.

He also appealed to the PM to expedite the process to release Rs. 2064.30 crore as per SDRF/ NDRF norms for drought relief and mitigation.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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