No hike in Central drought aid till 2015
Tags:
There is no respite in sight for drought-hit Karnataka with the Centre deciding not to enhance the compensation for affected states till 2015. The state is facing the worst calamity in the past 40 years with both the kharif and rabi crops failing leaving as many as 123 taluks in the grip of drought. With an all-party delegation to Delhi failing to bring any relief, all eyes are now on the Central Study team which is set to tour drought-hit districts in the State for the second time in five months from May 14. The State is hoping to get an immediate relief of Rs 1,500 crore under the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) but with the Centre not wiling to relax the norms, it remains to be seen if this huge amount will be forthcoming.
Interestingly, the State has revised its memorandum for relief thrice since last November with the latest seeking relief of Rs 5,864 crore. But the Centre has so far, released only Rs 70 crore after adjusting the State’s share of Rs 116 crore under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The State submitted the initial memorandum for Rs 723 crore to the Centre, which was revised to Rs 2,605 crore in December 2011, after the Central Study team’s visit to drought hit districts.
The memorandum was finally revised to Rs 5,864.25 crore after both kharif and rabi crops failed causing a total crop loss of Rs 5,953 crore. This time again, a 14-member Central team headed by Pravesh Sharma, managing director of Small Farmers Agri Business Consortium, is slated to visit four drought-hit districts – Kolar, Tumkur, Chikballapur and Chitradurga. The State government is hoping to seek funds under the NCCF, which has provision for allocation of huge funds, made at the discretion of the Prime Minister.
Said Disaster Management secretary (Revenue) K. Amaranarayana, “The State has sought Rs 5,864.25 crore after a thorough assessment of losses incurred by each sector – agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and drinking water supply among others. We are hopeful of getting immediate relief as the Central team will be visiting the State to assess the situation.”
Post new comment