BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and sought Rs 18,177 crore as assistance for drought relief works in the State.
Siddaramaiah urged PM Modi to direct Union Home Minister Amit Shah to hold an emergency meeting of the high-powered committee and take immediate steps to release funds to tackle drought.
Addressing reporters, Siddaramaiah said the committee headed by Shah should have held a meeting by now. “We have submitted three memorandums, but the central officials did not convene any meeting,” he added.
“We placed five demands and Modi responded positively to them. We hope to get central funds at the earliest. Farmers are in distress because of drought and they need help,” he said.
In his petition, Siddaramaiah stated that the State submitted its first memorandum three months ago. The inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) made its field visits in the State two months ago. Yet, the State hasn’t received any financial assistance from the Centre.
‘Centre yet to give eco clearance for Mekedatu’
Crops have failed and farmers are in distress. There is a dire need to pay “input subsidy” to the affected farmers at the earliest, the CM added. Of the 236 taluks in the State, 223 have been declared as drought-hit. Of the 223 taluks, 196 have been severely affected, the CM stated in his petition.
Mekedatu
On the Mekedatu reservoir project, the CM said that it has been gazetted. “There is no hindrance to the project. But it is yet to get environmental clearance from the Union Government. We have completed the project estimation. Only after getting environmental clearance, we can start work. This is why we have been urging the Union Government to grant it at the earliest,” he said.
On the Upper Bhadra project, he said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a Central grant of Rs 5,300 crore and the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai announced equal contribution from the State. The Centre should release the grant soon.
Mekedatu is a drinking water project and it will also help the people of Tamil Nadu. “This will help us get drinking water as well as generate 400 MW of power. Tamil Nadu can make use of both. We have urged Modi to help the State implement this project,” Siddaramaiah said.
State’s demands