SHIMOGA: The state government submitted a request to the Centre to grant `2,606 crore for drought relief works and has received `86 crore, said Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.
Gowda told reporters in the city on Sunday, that providing drinking water to the drought-hit was the top priority of the government.
“Each taluk was given `30 lakh towards providing drinking water and an additional `30 lakh was released for the drought-hit taluks,” he said.
At a meeting with the DC and CEO in the city, he said the request of `2.5 crore was sanctioned immediately.
The government released `48 crore towards digging new borewells, he added.
The government has directed to supply water in tankers in places where borewells had dried up.
Make use of diesel pump sets in case of power crunch, said Gowda.
The authorities were directed not to demand repayment of bank or cooperative loans from farmers.
Gowda added that steps were taken to collect fodder and so far the government has released `369 crore for drought relief.
He added that an all-party meeting will be convened on April 19 in Bangalore to discuss various issues, including Cauvery water, drought, Yellow Leaf Disease of arecanut, silk and others.
The delegation would then leave for New Delhi, he said.
Gowda said that he had considered the suggestions given by Yeddyurappa after his tour across the droughthit areas.
He said the government planned to take up the Ettinahole irrigation project in June-July, besides improving ground water table and rejuvenation of tanks.
About 38 per cent of borewells were revived when it was flushed out, he said.
State BJP president and MLA K S Eshwarappa, MP B Y Raghavendra, MP Ayanur Manjunath, MLA Gopalakrishna Belur, CMC president S N Channabasappa, ZP president Shubha Krishnamurthy, SUDA chairman S Dattatri and others were present