NEWS: Karnataka government to hold a 3-day special legislative session from September 21 to 23 to discuss severe drought and the Kasturirangan Committee report.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drought status -> 101 taluks declared drought-hit under Centre's 2020 Manual, with 50 to 60 more taluks expected after a second round.
• Financial status -> ₹187 crore spent, ₹329 crore with Deputy Commissioners, and an approved ₹1,229 crore under State Disaster Relief Fund awaiting release.
• Kasturirangan context -> Centre previously notified 1,439 villages in Karnataka as ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats.

KEY FINDINGS

• Crisis warning -> Poor rainfall by September's second week risks triggering one of the state's worst modern droughts.
• NICE project compensation -> Cabinet approved land plots for 1,453 farmers who lost land to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise project.
• Other decisions -> Approved a ₹249 crore upgrade for UVCE Bengaluru and cleared 'Invest Karnataka 2027' for April 20.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Dual priority -> Balances urgent agrarian disaster relief with long-term ecological governance of the Western Ghats.
• Administrative platform -> Enables legislative review of farmer compensation, institutional funding, and major industrial investment events.