KALABURAGI: RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge has hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for saying that the memorandum seeking compensation for drought was submitted to the Centre three months late by the Congress government in the state.
Priyank said that according to the Manual of Drought Relief, the State Governments have to submit the memorandum for drought relief compensation by October 31 for Kharif crops, and by March 31 for Rabi crops after issuing notification about the drought condition in their respective states. He said Karnataka adhered to the rules. Shah, in Bengaluru on Tuesday, alleged that the Karnataka government delayed submitting the proposal to the Centre seeking drought relief by three months.
The government submitted the memorandum to the Centre on September 22, 2023, stating that 196 of the 236 taluks were facing severe drought and 27 taluks were facing moderate drought, Priyank said. This memorandum was submitted one-and-a-half months ahead of the deadline, he added.
Following this, a 10-member Central Study Team visited Karnataka between October 5 and 9. Later, the State Government declared 21 more taluks drought-affected and submitted a supplementary memorandum to the Centre, he added.
Priyank said CM Siddaramaiah wrote to Union Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar, Shah, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on November 15 stating that crops on 48 lakh hectares were damaged and requested the Centre to release Rs 18,171.44 crore as relief.
