By IANS,
New Delhi : Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here and sought Rs. 2,000 crore to tackle severe drought in the state.
“The prime minister has assured help,” Shettar told reporters after the meeting.
The chief minister said 150 of the state’s 176 talukas (revenue subdivisions) were hit by drought as monsoon was playing truant.
Shettar was accompanied by two deputy chief ministers K. S. Eshwarappa and R. Ashoka, Irrigation Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti.
Ahead of meeting the prime minister, Shettar and his team briefed Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and central ministers from Karnataka, S. M. Krishna (external affairs), M. Veerappa Moily, (corporate affairs), and Mallikarjun Kharge (labour).
Shettar said Pawar assured that a central team would be sent soon to assess the severity of the drought and quantum of help needed.
One central team has already visited the state.
Shettar said there has been 40 percent deficiency in rains so far this monsoon season, which starts in June first week and last till September end.
The average rainfall in the state during monsoon is southern Karnataka 660 mm, northern part 506 mm and coastal areas 3,083 mm.