Will urge Centre to grant Karnataka Rs 4,860 crore for crop relief, says Siddaramaiah

Chitradurga, (Karnataka): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the crop damage due to drought in the state is to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore and as per the NDRF guidelines, Rs 4,860 crore compensation has been sought and the Centre urged to release this amount.

Addressing media at the Muruga Mutt premises in Chitradurga, the Chief Minister, on the arrival of the Central Drought Study Team for the drought study in the state, said that it has already been briefed on the reality of the drought situation in the state.

Out of a total 236 taluks, 195 taluks have been declared drought-affected and crops worth more than Rs 30,000 crores damaged.

The state has suffered crop loss in about 42 lakh hectares, which amounts to 52 per cent of crops, he said, adding that apart from the Upper Krishna and Narayanpur Reservoirs, there is no water in other reservoirs including the Cauvery.

Siddaramaiah said that compensation of Rs 4860 crore has been sought from the Centre as per the guidelines.

The study team of the centre is visiting 11 districts of the state in three teams. After submitting the report, the centre will provide compensation based on the report, he said.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah termed the BJP-JD-S alliance as "unholy", saying that the Janata Dal-Secular is forging an alliance with a communal party.

In response to the BJP's allegation that the government has put a brake on the development of the state for guarantee schemes, the CM said it is the BJP which has ruined the state's economic situation.

"We never took so much debt. And there was no committed expenditure of this amount. They have ruined everything and now they have this to say," he said.

To a question that Congress MLAs are making this allegation he said that regular grants are available and only additional funds are not available, he clarified. Rs 200 crore have been granted for land acquisition for the Bhadra scheme. The Chief Minister clarified that there is no shortage of funds for programmes and for guarantee schemes.

Reacting to a question on the BJP fact-finding committee visiting Shivamogga, he asked what was done to find the truth. "What is the truth that they are going to find out about? Action has been taken against those who pelted stones while Muslims were taking out a procession on the occasion of Eid Milad. It has been very clearly instructed to take action against those involved, irrespective of which party they belong, whoever they are, and not to let them take the law into their hands," he said.