Union Government Releases Rs 1253.52 Cr as Drought Relief Fund to Karnataka

Bengaluru: Union government released Rs 1235.52 crore to Karnataka as drought relief fund on Saturday for crop damage occurred in the state as a result of severe drought in 2016. With the new amount released, the state has received total Rs 1685.52 crore as drought relief fund for the year 2016.

The union government had decided to release Rs 1782.44 crore in January 2017 as drought relief fund for the farmers in Karnataka state for the crop damage. Out of Rs 1782.44 crore, Rs 450 crore was released in last February to Karnataka by the union government. Now, the state government has received Rs 1782.44 crore as drought relief fund assured by the union government after adjusting the remaining amount Rs 96.92 crore available under State Disaster Relief Fund.

The state government had urged the centre to release Rs 4703 crore as drought relief fund after 139 taluks of Karnataka were declared as drought hit areas in December 2016. According to the request made by Karnataka government, the centre was decided to release Rs 1782.44 crore in January 2017.  Reacting to the drought relief fund released, Karnataka Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa stated that, the government will start distributing the fund released to the bank accounts of the farmers soon.