K'taka for norms revision under Calamity Relief Fund

Bangalore, Aug 26: Karnataka today sought the Centre to immediately revise the norms under the Calamity Relief Fund and enhance the assistance to the State in view of the floods caused by release of excess waters from the Reservoirs in Maharashtra.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy after briefing the Central Study team which had toured the state four days told newsmen that the State had sought an assistance of Rs.1592.62 crore from the centre for taking up relief and rehabilitation works in the flood affected districts of Gulbarga, Bijapur, Belgaum, Bagalkot and Raichur, he said.

The Central team has collected the data on the flood situation in the state and had assured the state government that it would draw the attention of the Centre to release the relief funds to the state at the earliest, he said.

Stating that the team had been apprised of the destruction and damage the state had suffered due to the floods, he hoped that the Central team would speed up the process and request the Centre to release the funds immediately.

The Chief Minister said that 20,440 houses had been damaged in the flood hit districts and had urged the team to sanction the funds under the National Calamity Component of Indira Aawas Yojna.

The Centre should immediately provide 100 days of work to the districts of Gulbarga and Raichur as they have been covered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, he said.

In a memorandum submitted to the team the Chief Minister asked for the 100 days period to be enahanced to 200 days.

He also asked for the rephasing of crop loans by NABARD to the small and marginal farmers and providing of sufficient quantity of fertilisers.

The seven-member team headed by Union Home Affairs Joint Secratary V N Gaur also visited the districts of Shimoga and Dakshina Kannada.

UNI