Flood relief: Yediyurappa faults Centre

Belgaum, Karnataka, Aug 17 (UNI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today accused the Centre of meting out step motherly treatment to Karnataka and said not a single paise has been released by the Centre for taking up flood relief works in the State.

Talking to newspersons here before undertaking an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of the district, he said the State Government had sought about Rs 1,506 crore towards flood relief.

While the neighbouring Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh got relief from the Centre, Karnataka was yet to receive.

Urging the Centre to immediately release Rs 500 crore for taking up relief works in the affected areas, Mr Yediyurappa assured that an amount of Rs 300 crore would be provided for shifting the flood affected villages permanently.

The Deputy Chief Minister said 764 villages in eight districts were affected due to floods, of which 88 were hit totally. The Government had started 174 relief centres. While 12 people died due to floods, crops in 93,000 hectares were damaged and over ten lakh people were affected, he added.

UNI MNP GD YA BD2008