By IANS,
Raichur (Karnataka) : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in north Karnataka and announced an interim relief of Rs.1,000 crore (Rs.10 billion).
“I announce an interim relief of Rs.1,000 crore for Karnataka. For the 226 precious lives lost in the flash floods and rain havoc, I have already announced a compensation of Rs.100,000 to the next of kin or kith of the victims,” Singh said after a meeting with the state government here.
Before the meet, Singh conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Raichur, Gulbarga and Bijapur districts. Raichur is about 500 km from Bangalore.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily, who hails from the state, accompanied Singh from Hyderabad and apprised him of the damage caused by torrential rains Sep 29-Oct 2 in 14 northern districts.
“I’m not here to discuss nuts and bolts. I have assured the Karnataka government that the union government would stand behind it in these times of crisis. Money will not be a constraint to make good the losses. But there are procedures to determine the extent of funds to be released,” the prime minister said.
The central government will dispatch a team soon after receiving a memorandum from the state government on the destruction and damage caused to the people, crops and property in the region, he said.
Asserting that the central government would never discriminate states based on political affiliations, the prime minister assured the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled government in the state of full support in rehabilitating the affected people.
Earlier, state chief secretary S.V. Ranganath made a power-point presentation to appraise the prime minister of the damage and the relief measures to help the affected people.
The presentation helped Singh gauge the extent of devastation in the backward districts.
On the inter-linking of rivers to check recurrence of such natural calamities, Singh said a new plan would be initiated to prevent floods that cause so much damage to life and property.
“Knowledge derived from these flash floods in the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh will be utilised to finalise the plan. The centre will treat the affected people in both the states alike in relief and rehab works,” Singh reiterated.
Yeddyurappa briefed Singh on the rehabilitation work taken up by the state government and the central help needed for the massive work, as over 350,000 houses have been damaged, leaving more than a million people homeless.
“On my briefing about the post-flood situation in the affected areas, the prime minister is convinced about the extent of devastation in 15 districts,” Yeddyurappa told reporters after Singh left for Hyderabad from Raichur.
Thanking the prime minister for the interim relief of Rs.1,000 crore, Yeddyurappa said the government hoped the centre would release another Rs.2,000 crore so that houses can be built for about 75,000 families and 219 villages would be shifted to higher plains from low-lying areas near the banks of Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers.
“This will be our top priority. Land will be sanctioned soon so that sites could be formed at the earliest. My cabinet colleagues, including district in-charge ministers, will visit the flood-hit villages to assess the requirements of the affected people and fulfill them,” Yeddyurappa noted.