Three Central teams to visit Karnataka to assess drought situation, says Dy CM Parameshwara

Bengaluru, Sep 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Three teams from the Centre will visit Karnataka to assess the drought situation following a request from the state government, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said on Monday.

Addressing reporters near his residence here, Parameshwara said one team would study the situation in Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davanagere, another would visit districts in north Karnataka, while the third would cover the Mysuru region, including Mandya, Mysuru, and Chamarajanagar.

The Central teams will visit drought-hit areas and submit their reports. The state government has already submitted a memorandum to the Centre, based on which the teams will conduct their assessment. The state will also submit another memorandum, he said.

The teams are likely to collect information on all taluks declared drought-hit in the state. They may visit selected taluks in person and interact with Deputy Commissioners and local officials to gather details. They will also examine whether there are any differences between the findings in the state's memorandum and the ground realities observed during their field visits, he said.

Parameshwara said the state was currently undertaking further ground-truthing and would prepare a final memorandum after the exercise is completed.

The monsoon season will end on September 30 and the state government intends to submit the final memorandum to the Centre in the first week of October. The memorandum will contain comprehensive details of the losses suffered by the state and the relief required, he said.

Asked whether the ground-truthing would be conducted according to the Centre's guidelines, Parameshwara said the Central teams had their own guidelines, and the state government had also followed the same guidelines while declaring drought-hit taluks.

"The drought-hit taluks have been declared based on the criteria prescribed in the guidelines. Taluks that did not meet the prescribed criteria were not declared drought-hit. Therefore, there is unlikely to be any major difference between the state's report and the findings of the Central teams," he said.

Parameshwara reiterated the need for an all-party delegation to seek drought relief from the Centre, saying the drought situation was not an issue confined to any particular political party.

"Natural calamities do not discriminate between political parties. If everyone jointly submits a representation to the Centre on behalf of Karnataka, it will help in securing greater assistance. This is why the Chief Minister has proposed taking an all-party delegation to Delhi," he said.

Reacting to the BJP leaders' decision not to join the delegation, Parameshwara said the BJP was in power at the Centre, and its participation could help the state government convince the Union government to provide relief.

"Even if they do not come, the state government, as the ruling party, will discharge its responsibility of bringing the issue to the Centre's attention in the interest of the state," he said.

He appealed to BJP leaders to join the delegation, saying the drought was an issue concerning the interests of the people of Karnataka and all parties should share responsibility.

Parameshwara said the state government would not back away from its responsibility even if the Centre did not respond to another request for drought relief.

"If the Centre clearly says that it will not provide relief, a situation should not arise where the state government is forced to approach the court again, as it did last year. The Centre and the authorities concerned should not create such a situation," he said.

On differing views among ministers and legislators over the financial burden of guarantee schemes, Parameshwara said the government had been aware from the beginning that implementing the schemes would require substantial funds.

He said estimates prepared while drafting the party manifesto had initially put the annual expenditure on the schemes at around Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 45,000 crore. The actual expenditure later crossed Rs 50,000 crore.

"Even then, the decision to implement the guarantee schemes was taken consciously," he said.

Parameshwara acknowledged that there was pressure on the state's finances but said the government had managed the financial commitment for the past three years and had the capacity to continue doing so for the next two years.

On pensions, he said the income ceiling had been increased from Rs 32,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh, allowing several eligible beneficiaries who had earlier been excluded to come back under the scheme.

He said pensions of around 23 lakh people had earlier been cancelled. With the revised income ceiling, eligible beneficiaries would receive pensions again. At the same time, applications from those who fail to submit the required certificates or do not meet the age criteria would be scrutinised, and ineligible beneficiaries would be excluded, he said.

On the proposed amendments to the land reforms law mentioned in the party manifesto, Parameshwara said the government still had around one-and-a-half years left in its term.

"This is a sufficiently long period, and necessary steps can be taken during this time," he said.

Reacting to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's plan to visit villages in the Mysuru region and campaign on behalf of people who have lost their land, Parameshwara said there would be no question of the government obstructing his protest.

"Let him carry out his agitation," he said.

On Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's visit to Delhi, Parameshwara said the Chief Minister had gone to attend a Congress Working Committee meeting and would meet party leaders as well as some Union Ministers.

Shivakumar was also likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah over drought relief and disaster management issues, besides meeting Union Ministers handling irrigation, forests and other departments to explain Karnataka's requirements, Parameshwara said.

On appointments to boards and corporations, Parameshwara said the process of appointing party's Working Presidents and office-bearers was separate from appointing chairpersons and directors to government boards and corporations.

He said senior leaders, including the party General Secretary, General Secretary in charge, Chief Minister and former Chief Minister, had already held discussions and finalised the process.

"The appointments may be made as soon as possible," he said.

Source: IANS