JOIN USDonation to relief fund reaches Rs 100 cr
According to officials managing the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, total contribution by the public, various government and private organisations, NGOs as on Saturday stood at Rs 105 crore. This excludes the one-day salary pledged by government employees (Rs 29 crore) four months DA arrears (Rs 140 crore), pension component of retired government employees (Rs 80 crore) among others which are yet to be credited to the treasury.
Steel Authority of India presented a cheque of Rs five crore for flood relief to the Chief Minister on Saturday. Meanwhile, assurances especially in the form of building houses from various organisation stands at Rs 734 crore. However, Cisco is the only company to have signed an MoU with the government to construct 4,000 houses, two schools and a hospital in Raichur.
Contributions are also being made by the public at Bangalore One centres. The total donations made on Thursday totalled up to Rs 1.57 lakh, while Wednesday witnessed Rs 2.37 lakh being collected in form of donations.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister has sought an additional loan assistance from NABARD towards rebuilding infrastructure in flood-hit areas of the State.
In a letter to NABARD Chairman Umesh Chandra Sarangi, copies of which were released to the press, Yeddyurappa said the government had been availing loan assistance from NABARD under Regional Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) scheme since 1995-96.
During the current year, an allocation of Rs 638 crore has been made for the State. However, the situation of rural infrastructure in the State had worsened due to the havoc caused by unprecedented rains and floods, he said requesting for additional grants.
Loss of cattle
The government has assessed total loss due to death of cattle in the floods at Rs 1.25 crore. As many as 5,287 cattle have died in the floods. Minister for Animal Husbandry Revu Naik Belamagi, on Saturday, said of the total 5,287 cattle heads only 4,702 were found.
The minister said as per the existing norms irrespective of the death of a number of cattle, each family can avail compensation for only two. However, in case of sheep, compensation can be availed for four, as many people had lost sheep in hundreds. The Chief Minister, has however appealed to the Centre for relaxation of norms.
Belamagi said the department was prepared to provide medicine to the surviving cattle.