Karnataka demands Rs.9,000 crore flood relief package from Centre

New Delhi, Oct 20 (ANI): An all party delegation led by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Tuesday for the release of over Rs.9,000 crore under the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF).

Parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka witnessed devastating floods in September and October, rendering lakhs of people homeless and killing more than 800 people.

The Karnataka Government has estimated the loss from floods at around Rs.18,000 crore. As per the NCCF norms, the state is eligible to get only one-third of the total loss from the Centre, but the delegation demanded to increase the amount to 50 percent.

Addressing the media after the daylong meetings with the union ministers and the Prime Minister, Yeddyurappa said the delegation got an overwhelming response.

"The delegation got an overwhelming response fro the Centre. The Prime Minister said that as he himself witnessed the devastation, he will do at his best for the release of the amount," Yeddyurappa said.

The delegation also demanded for the one time waiver of all agricultural loans on farmers in the flood-affected areas of the state.

"The region of north Karnataka which was suffering from draught has now been affected by devastating floods in the same year, so it's highly impossible for the farmers to pay back the loans. The delegation urged the Center to grant for the one time waiver of loans," he said.

As the farmers of the flood-affected area were not in a position to restart their life, the delegation urged Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to increase the limit of the relief amount given for the crop loss.

At present a farmer can get Rs. 2,000 per hectare for dry land, Rs. 4,000 for irrigated land and Rs.8, 000 for horticulture crops.

The all-party delegation demanded for an increase of Rs.5, 000, 8,000 and 12,000 per hectare respectively.

The delegation also demanded for the allocation of over 2 lakh houses under the Indira Awas Yojana for the affected people.

The Chief Minister said that the government has constituted a committee headed by the Rajya Sabha member Rajiv Chadrashekhar to prepare a road map for the development of flood-affected villages.

Yeddyurappa said that the delegation has also demanded for the release of 1.5 lakh metric tonne food grains under BPL rates for the affected people.

Meanwhile, a Central team is visiting the flood affected areas from Wednesday.

Union Law Minister M.Virappa Moily, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of State for Railways K.H.Muniyaappa, former Union Minister Ananth Kumar were also part of the delegation. By Shreeraj Gudi (ANI)