Revenue Minister R. Ashok has said that a well-equipped relief centre would be set up in Belagavi district to provide quick relief and shelter to people displaced during floods and heavy downpour.
He was speaking to presspersons after visiting flood-hit areas in Belagavi district accompanied by district in-charge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi, MLAs P. Rajeev, Umesh Katti and Duryodhana Aihole and others on Monday.
Mr. Ashok said that such a relief centre would have kitchen, bathrooms and rooms for temporary stay. This centre would be facilitate the temporary stay of flood-affected people, he said.
The Minister clarified that there was no dearth of funds for flood relief and disbursing compensation to the flood-affected people. All the Deputy Commissioners had the requisite funds available in their respective PD accounts, he said.
Mr. Ashok said that compensation would be released to the beneficiaries as per the guidelines. However, as compensation would be reduced as per NDRF guidelines, he would take up the issue with the Chief Minister for enhancing it.
The State government was taking steps on a war footing to reach out to the flood-affected people and provide relief to them.
Steps were also being taken to release compensation for crop loss and pending instalments of grants for house construction, he said.
Earlier, soon after landing in Belagavi, he held a review meeting at the Belagavi Zilla Panchayat auditorium. Subsequently, he visited flood-hit villages of Hukkeri and Chikkodi taluks.
He first visited Hattaragi and Jinrala villages in Hukkeri taluk where he inspected crop loss. In Hukkeri town, he visited some houses that wer damaged in the downpour and also inspected damage to public property.
