Karnataka flays Centre for not releasing drought relief compensation
KALABURGI Karnataka Government has again expressed its anguish over the union government for not releasing drought relief compensation inspite of repeated requests from the State government.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that the Karnataka government has declared most of the districts of the State as drought affected on September 13 and submitted the memorandum to the union government in this regard on September 23. The Central Study Team visited Karnataka in the month of October.
Krishna Byre Gowda said that many of the ministers including him, rural development minister and other ministers met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah long back.
The union Home Minister told them that the Cabinet Sub Committee would meet on December 13 to take decision of releasing drought relief compensation to the States which have submitted memorandums. The meeting was not held on that date. Again it was told that the Cabinet Sub Committee meeting will be held on January 16. It was also not held. Krishna Byre Gowda said that the chief minister Siddaramaiah reminded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of the PM to Bengaluru a few days back. The Prime Minister told the chief minister that he would ask the concerned to convene the meeting immediately, but till date nothing has been moved.
The farmers were facing great difficulty and it is the duty of the governments to respond to the problems of the farmers immediately. The revenue minister said that the State Government has sought drought relief compensation of Rs. 18, 172 crores compensation including of Rs. 4,653 crores compensation due to the farmers who have lost their crops. The revenue minister wanted to know what our 27 MPs are doing and why they are neglecting the plight of the farmers of their State.
The revenue minister said that Karnataka is the second highest tax paying State and Karnataka stands first in the export also. Though the union government is getting revenue from Karnataka, it has neglected our state, the Revenue minister alleged.
MGNREGA
Krishna Byre Gowda said that usually during the drought period, the central government used to increase the working days in MGNREGA from 100 to 150 days. About 4 lakh labourers have completed 100 days of work under MGNREGA. The State Government has already submitted the memorandum to the union government long back to increase working days under MGNREGA to 150 from 100 days, but we have not received any response from the Union Government so far. There is every possibility of farmers migrating to other states in-search of jobs if they do not get job in their place, he apprehended.
Karnataka has released first phase of Compensation
Revenue minister said that the Karnataka Government has released Rs. 650 crores compensation to the farmers towards drought relief.
First phase of compensation has already been credited to the accounts of 2.24 lakh farmers of Kalaburagi. The remaining 12.2 lakh farmers would get the compensation amount shortly, the revenue minister said. Rural development Minister Priyank Kharge who is also Kalaburagi district in-charge minister, DC Fouzia Tarannum and other senior officers were present.,