Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said here on Sunday that the government had already released Rs. 339 crore for the drought relief works in the state. Speaking to reporters, Mr Gowda noted that along with the drought relief works, the government had also reserved Rs 250 crore to tackle drinking water problem in the state and each assembly constituency would get Rs 30 lakh grant to ensure supply of potable drinking water to the people. He said that it was also being thought to find a permanent solution to the districts which witness drought every year.
The Chief Minister said that an all-party delegation would be taken to New Delhi to seek Rs 2606 crore for drought management in the state. To discuss this, an all-party meeting has been convened on April 19, he said. The reports on the drought submitted by the three ministers’ team and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa would be reviewed during the meeting. “I am going to New Delhi tomorrow to participate in the National Development Council meeting to be held on Monday. The state’s internal security, Naxal problems and other issues would be discussed during the meeting”, he said. Mr Gowd requested agitating lecturers of the PU colleges to start the evaluation work from Monday. He said that the blackmailing and threatening tactics of the agitators were not fair. All the problems could be solved through discussions, he said.