Rajya Sabha leader Mallikarjun Kharge has requested the Central government to release Rs 18,171 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Karnataka, which is facing severe drought. The state is grappling with the most severe drought in 123 years, with crop damage estimated at over Rs 35,162 crore. Kharge said the state government is seeking this financial support to provide input subsidies, gratuitous relief, and immediate growth measures due to low rainfall.
