Karnataka Government to constitute Task Force to tackle drought

Belgaum, Sep 29 (UNI) The Karnataka government will constitute Task Forces in drought-hit Taluks under the chairmanship of respective legislators for effective implementation of relief works, Home Minister M P Prakash informed the Legislative Assembly today.

Intervening during a debate on implementation of Dr Nanjundappa Committee report on removal of Regional Imbalance, he said over 122 taluks were reeling under severe drought and government has taken steps to combat it very effectively and decided to constitute a taluk-level Task Forces.

Mr Prakash said that the Task Forces would regulate and monitor the drought relief works besides ensuring the supply of potable drinking water to the affected villages.

Stating that there was no dearth of funds fighting the drought conditions. Mr Prakash also announced that those taluks which comes under five districts covered by National Employment Guarantee Act would also get grant of Rs One Crore each.

He said that the government has also constituted a Cabinet-sub committee, under his chairmanship, and it is meeting every fortnight to take stock of the drought situation in the State. It would also monitor any incident of distress selling of cattles, exodus and also cropping up of drinking water in any villages and take act according to the seriousness of the situation.

Strongly denying the opposition charges of government neglecting drought affected areas, Mr Prakash said that the request to the Centre for release Three lakh tonnes of food grains to fight drought was yet to be considered by the Centre. However, the State government is managing the things by utilising the food grains released for other schemes including Rozgar Yojana.

Mr Prakash said that the Revenue department officials have identified land for rehabilitation of those living in flood-prone villages of Gulbarga, Belgaum, Raichur, Bijapur and Bagalkot districts in the Krishna basin to shift the entire population to safer place as a permanent solution.

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