DVS too plans to tour drought-hit districts

When former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is visiting drought-affected places, can Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda lag behind? He will commence the tour on Friday.

Gowda told reporters that he would visit Mysore and Chitradurga on Friday. The chief minister said the three ministerial teams which have been constituted to review the drought situation will visit the affected areas for three days from April 9. In addition, Yeddyurappa would submit his report on the drought condition to the government on April 9.

“I welcome the former chief minister’s decision to tour the drought-hit areas. He is experienced and has travelled in these regions on previous occasions too. The government will definitely consider his suggestions,” Gowda said.

Funds for drought relief

Gowda said an additional Rs 360 crore has been released for drought relief work. This is over and above the budgetary amount of Rs 1,800 crore.

“There is no shortage of funds as such. Even the team of officials sent by the Centre to study the drought situation gave us credit for managing the situation well. But I do not know why there are so many negative reports in the media about drought relief work,” he said.

Official sources said the budgetary allocation of Rs 1,800 crore is for various departments under the ongoing schemes which can be used for providing drinking water and other drought-related work. In addition, about Rs 360 crore has been released - Rs 172 crore from the revenue department, Rs 180 crore from Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department and Rs 10 crore from local bodies.

An amount of Rs 20 lakh has been sanctioned to the task forces in the taluks. In all, Rs 50 lakh is available with the task forces, sources said.

The chief minister said the government would shortly take an all-party delegation to Delhi seeking release of additional grants for drought relief works.

Asked about Yeddyurappa’s repeated comments on the officials’ “non-performance”, Gowda said, “I have no information about that.”

The chief minister sidestepped another question regarding his predecessor’s comment about he (Gowda) having gone back on his word to step down as chief minister after six months. “I don’t know what he has said,” he said.