In a step towards mitigating the drinking water scarcity in rural areas of the State, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department on Monday (May 4) released an additional ₹72 crore, bringing the total allocation for drinking water-related works since March 2026 to ₹208.67 crore.

Announcing this, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge said this total amount is being utilised for emergency drinking water projects as well as for clearing the pending payments of works previously approved by the Drinking Water Task Force committees.

“Karnataka is fundamentally a semi-arid region. During summer, existing water sources dry up and the yield of borewells decreases, causing significant hardship to the public,” the Minister explained. He noted that the cumulative allocation of ₹208.67 crore for the current year aims to resolve these persistent issues.

The Minister said that district-level officers are continuously conducting task force meetings to ensure seamless water supply and prevent scarcity in rural areas during summer, while the situation is being regularly reviewed at the government level.