The state government has sought relief of Rs. 779.20 crore from the Centre under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to tackle drought and provide compensation for farmers who had lost crops due to deficit rains. A total 35 taluks have been declared drought-hit.
Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad and Agriculture Minister Krishna Byrge Gowda on Saturday held a meeting with the central team led by R.B. Sinha, Joint Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. The team visited drought-hit taluks and assessed damage to various crops.
Ministers said the estimated crop loss due to drought in the state has been estimated at Rs. 3,589.70 crore. The amount spent by the state government was Rs. 28.50 crore.
Since the Congress came to power in the State, five memorandums had been submitted to the Centre seeking relief of Rs. 3,754 crore but the State had received only Rs. 327 crore till now, Mr. Prasad said.
The State had spent on its own Rs. 972 crore for providing relief to flood and drought affected farmers, he said.
