Rs 250 crore interim flood relief for Karnataka

Bangalore, Aug 30: The Centre has released Rs 250 crore as interim relief to take up immediate relief works in the flood and drought hit areas of Karnataka, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil announced today.

After conducting an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts of North Karnataka, he told reporters here that the amount was sanctioned to meet the immediate demands of the victims, without setting any pre-condition to the State to provide any report.

''The Centre is aware that the State Government needs far more funds, but will sanction it only after it received comprehensive plans to take up reconstruction works on a permanent basis,'' he said.

The interim relief from the Centre comes after the State Government submitted a memorandum, seeking over Rs 1,500 crore to tide over the calamities. Irked by the delay on the Centre's part to sanction even an interim relief as it had done to other flood-hit States, the State Government had accused the Centre of meting out a step-motherly treatment to Karnataka. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had even petitioned visiting President A P J Abdul Kalam to intervene in this regard.

Stating that he would discuss the State's condition with the Union Ministries concerned, Mr Patil said the demand for foodgrains would be taken up with the Agriculture Ministry in the next few days. The Centre was in a position to provide foodgrains of three lakh tonnes as demanded by the State, he added.

The State was more prone to widespread droughts than floods, he noted.

UNI

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