Karnataka CM meets PM; seeks early release of Rs 2,064 cr drought relief for rabi season

New Delhi, Mar 09: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to release pending funds under NDRF and MGNREGA for drought mitigation and wage component and material component to the state.

Kumaraswamy informed Modi that the state faced drought situation during this year's kharif season as well but the financial assistance sanctioned by the central government was inadequate.

''There was severe drought in 100 talukas out of 176 talukas in the state,''Kumaraswamy told the Prime Minister.

He requested Modi to expedite the process to release Rs 2,064.30 crore for drought relief and mitigation, the statement said.

The state government has submitted a memorandum seeking Rs 2,064.30 crore drought relief fund for the ongoing rabi season as crop loss is estimated to be Rs 11,384.7 crore. The state has declared drought in 156 out of 176 talukas.

The chief minister further said the central relief funds released to the state for drought faced during kharif season this year was not sufficient.

The Centre sanctioned Rs 949.49 crore against the state government's demand of Rs 2,434 crore as drought relief for the kharif season, which is less than 50 per cent of the input subsidy claim by the state, he noted.

The crop loss during the khariff and rabi seasons together is estimated to be Rs 32,335 crore, he added.