Karnataka: Inter-ministerial team concluded its four days survey of drought hit regions: Revenue Minister

Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has said that the Inter-ministerial team that concluded its four days survey of drought hit regions of the state will submit its report in a week’s time.

Briefing media persons in Bengaluru today after holding a meeting with the Central team members, Byre Gowda said that the claim of 4860 crore rupees submitted by the State Government as compensation will be looked into by the Central team based on their observations.

He said that the farmers are in distress and there is a drinking water shortage in the state. The Revenue Minister informed that the Central Government has to release 475 crore rupees as its share towards payment of MGNREGA pending wages and also give permission to increase the days of work from 100 to 150.

He further added that Central Government data that 46 percent of farmers are small and marginal farmers is not right and the actual numbers are over 60 percent.

The State Government, he added, will submit documents to the Central Government in this regard. He said that ground verification of drought in 21 Taluks will be taken up in two days and the state will submit a memorandum to the Central Government to send a Central team to assess the crop loss under NDRF norms.