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Karnataka
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Karnataka demands Rs 9,000 cr flood relief package from Centre |
An all-party delegation led by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa submitted a memorandum
to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Tuesday for the release of over Rs.9,000
crore under the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF). Parts of Andhra Pradesh
and Karnataka witnessed devastating floods in September and October, rendering
lakhs of people homeless and killing more than 800 people. The Karnataka Government
has estimated the loss from floods at around Rs.18,000 crore. As per the NCCF
norms, the state is eligible to get only one-third of the total loss from the
Centre, but the delegation demanded to increase the amount to 50 percent. Addressing
the media after the daylong meetings with the union ministers and the Prime Minister,
Yeddyurappa said the delegation got an overwhelming response. “The delegation
got an overwhelming response fro the Centre. The Prime Minister said that as he
himself witnessed the devastation, he will do at his best for the release of the
amount,” Yeddyurappa said. The delegation also demanded for the one time waiver
of all agricultural loans on farmers in the flood-affected areas of the state.
“The region of north Karnataka which was suffering from draught has now been affected
by devastating floods in the same year, so it’s highly impossible for the farmers
to pay back the loans. The delegation urged the Center to grant for the one time
waiver of loans,” he said. As the farmers of the flood-affected area were not
in a position to restart their life, the delegation urged Union Finance Minister
Pranab Mukherjee to increase the limit of the relief amount given for the crop
loss. At present a farmer can get Rs. 2,000 per hectare for dry land, Rs. 4,000
for irrigated land and Rs.8, 000 for horticulture crops. The all-party delegation
demanded for an increase of Rs.5, 000, 8,000 and 12,000 per hectare respectively.
The delegation also demanded for the allocation of over 2 lakh houses under the
Indira Awas Yojana for the affected people. The Chief Minister said that the government
has constituted a committee headed by the Rajya Sabha member Rajiv Chadrashekhar
to prepare a road map for the development of flood-affected villages. Yeddyurappa
said that the delegation has also demanded for the release of 1.5 lakh metric
tonne food grains under BPL rates for the affected people. Meanwhile, a Central
team is visiting the flood affected areas from Wednesday. Union Law Minister M.Virappa
Moily, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyaappa, former Union Minister Ananth Kumar were also part of the delegation. |
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