Karnataka to seek central aid for flood-hit areas: CM Bommai

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with the inter-ministerial central team assessing the rain related damages in the state

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday held a meeting with the inter-ministerial central team assessing the rain related damages in the state and said the state government has prepared a memorandum to seek compensation from the central government for the flood-hit areas.

Basavaraj Bommai said ₹600 crore was released two days ago towards restoring infrastructure damages caused due to floods in Karnataka (File/PTI)

The chief minister said that the proposal regarding the damages caused in the last week will be submitted immediately. He added that the government has also discussed the damage caused due to floods in July and August with the central team led by Ashish Kumar, joint secretary, Union home ministry.

“Karnataka has a coastal area of 330 km and work worth ₹350 crore have been taken up to prevent sea erosion in several sensitive places. But, erosion has happened in the new spots. The central government assistance is required for the protection of the complete coastal region,” said a statement issued by the chief minister’s office.

Bommai said since November, ₹500 crore has been released twice and ₹600 crore was released two days ago towards restoring infrastructure damages.

“The state was giving additional input subsidy for the crop loss, and ₹2,452 crore has been disbursed among 18.58 lakh farmers. Out of this, ₹1,160 crore has been borne from the state exchequer. Relief was paid even on the extent of house damage. All the relief amounts are directly released to the bank accounts of the affected,” said the statement.

It added that the central team was scheduled to visit Chitradurga, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Haveri, Dharwad, Gadag, Bidar and Kalaburgi districts but the chief minister suggested they also visit Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts that witnessed massive landslide, sea erosion and other damages.

“The team was asked to take stock of the flood situation in Bengaluru City, Mandya and Ramanagar districts. Bommai informed the team that this time, a large number of fishing boats, shops and other business establishments had been damaged. In Ramanagar, silk reeling units and twisting units too have suffered damage. This kind of damage has happened for the first time. It has impacted the lives of many people. The team must try to extend the maximum help on the humanitarian ground,” it said.

The central team also consists of Mahesh Kumar, deputy secretary, ministry of finance, Bhavya Pandey, assistant director, department of energy, Ashok Kumar from ministry of jalshakthi, VV Shastri, executive engineer, Union ministry of surface transport and highways, Dr K Manoharan from ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare and SB Tiwari, under secretary, ministry of rural development.