Kharge Visits Flood-Hit Villages in Kalaburgi, Assures Relief
Kharge highlighted that unprecedented rainfall—614 mm from January to September 25, significantly above the seasonal average—has caused extensive damage to key crops
Kalaburagi: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge visited flood-affected villages along the Bhima River on Saturday, inspecting relief operations, damaged infrastructure, and crop losses caused by heavy rains in Kalaburagi and parts of Maharashtra.
During his tour of Afzalpur taluk—including Ganagapur Bridge, relief centres, Sangama, Sonna Barrage, and surrounding villages—Kharge assessed damage to homes, farmland, and public infrastructure. He instructed officials to submit immediate reports on affected areas and assured villagers that he would return once the rains subside for a thorough assessment. Locals were advised to provide details of families needing relocation to facilitate proper planning.
Kharge highlighted that unprecedented rainfall—614 mm from January to September 25, significantly above the seasonal average—has caused extensive damage to key crops such as pigeon pea, soybean, cotton, and vegetables. Continuous water releases from Maharashtra’s Ujani, Sina, Veer reservoirs, and Bori River, totaling 3.5 lakh cusecs, have worsened flooding along the Bhima River.
The minister urged riverbank residents to avoid approaching the Bhima in the coming days and assured that relocation efforts and relief operations would continue until conditions stabilize. A specialized NDRF team of 20 officials has been stationed in Deval Ganagapur for rescue operations, supported by police, fire, and revenue department personnel.
According to Kharge, Maharashtra released 45,000 cusecs from Ujani, 2,70,000 cusecs from Sina, 30,000 cusecs from Veer, and 5,000 cusecs from the Bori, causing significant flooding along riverbanks. Preliminary estimates indicate about 1.05 lakh hectares of crops have been damaged. A joint survey by the Agriculture, Revenue, and Horticulture departments is nearly 90% complete, with full assessments to follow.
For the 2025–26 season, 3,00,952 farmers registered for crop insurance, of which 59% have filed claims; surveys are 75% complete. For the previous 2024–25 season, Rs 315.64 crore in insurance payouts have been released. Including subsidies and crop insurance for 2023–24, a total of Rs 1,417 crore has been provided to 8,91,277 farmers. In Kalaburagi alone, 1,78,354 farmers received Rs 182 crore for pigeon pea damage, with total drought and flood relief reaching Rs 389.14 crore, compared to Rs 206 crore under the previous government.