Bengaluru, Oct. 1 -- Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara has sought immediate central assistance for drought-affected areas, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to speed up the relief process.

In separate letters, Parameshwara said the worsening drought had severely affected farmers and rural livelihoods and called for close coordination between the Centre and state government to ensure timely assistance.

Karnataka has so far declared 177 taluks drought-hit. The first phase covered 101 taluks, for which the state sought Rs 3,705.30 crore. A second assessment resulted in another 76 taluks being declared drought-affected. Ground-truthing is under way in 40 add...