BANGALORE: A delegation of the legislators from Karnataka led by MP Ananthkumar called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted a memorandum to him appealing to the UPA government to release funds from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) to tackle the severe drought prevailing in parts of the state.
The members apprised the PM on the gravity of the situation and the measures being taken by the government to mitigate the crisis.
They also told the PM that the crops in over 22.36 lakh hectares, in addition to 0.69 hectares under horticulture was hit by the dry spell in the kharif season.
Rabi crops in over 12.66 acres have sustained sever losses, they added.
The delegation comprised members A Vishwanath and MP Dhruvanarayan (Congress), Cheluvaraya Swamy (JD(S)), Sanna Fakirappa, Prabhakar Kore, K B Shanappa, P C Mohan, Janardhana Swamy, Shivakumar Udasi (all BJP) among others.
The Prime Minister who gave a patient hearing to the delegation from Karnataka, promised to look into the matter and extend help to the drought-affected people, a press release said.