All flood-hit villages to be relocated: K'taka CM

Bangalore, Oct 12: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has said that all villages that were marooned in the recent floods in Karnataka would be relocated to safer places.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Oct 11, Yeddyurappa said, "We are going to acquire about 5,000 acres of land for relocating the villages. We are expecting we may require around 300 crores for that formation of sites and road and other purposes."

"For each 1 lakh houses means that we may require 1,000 crores for that. We have already collected and already people have promised about 700 crores. We require another 300 crores for the construction of houses in the area," he said.

"So we have promised the people of Karnataka that 101 percent within one year we are going to shift all the flood affected villages to the safe place," he added.

The floods have wrecked havoc in northern parts of Karnataka, described by officials as the worst in many decades, killing over 280 people besides rendering several thousands homeless.

Floodwaters have swamped millions of acres of farmland and damaged standing crops of sugarcane, maize, rice and wheat.

The loss of sugarcane has given rise to worries of sharp fall in the output of sugar in Karnataka, the country's third-biggest producer.

ANI