Facing worst drought in last four decades, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today sought additional Rs 12,272 crore funds for improving supply of drinking water and fodder as Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in the state with him here.
He also wanted the Centre to release early the relief fund to the tune of Rs 723 crore approved earlier to tide over losses incurred in the rabi season of 2015-16 crop year.
"The PM gave patient hearing to the problems being faced by the state. I have updated him the drought situation in detail and sought additional funds of Rs 12,272 crore," Siddaramaiah said reporters after the meeting.
The Prime Minister has assured that he will "try to help as much as possible" after he meets chief ministers of all the 11 drought-hit states, he said.
Siddaramaiah informed Modi that the drought is severe this year as the crops worth Rs 15,635 crore have got damaged in 27 districts out of 30 during the the kharif season of 2015-16 crop year, while crop worth Rs 7,000 crore is estimated to have been affected during the rabi season because of drought in 12 districts.
He also informed that drinking water problem has aggravated due to drought and major rivers and reservoirs are facing acute water shortage.
A statement issued by the PMO said, the Prime Minister urged the state government to give maximum attention to desilting and creating farm tanks and check dams over the next 30 to 40 days, before the onset of the monsoon.
Modi said the Centre and the state should work together to tackle the problem of drought, it said.
He said "the time has come when there should be healthy competition among states to speak of efforts in water conservation and management, the way efforts to increase Gross State Domestic Produce (GSDP) and investment are spoken about," the statement said.
The Prime Minister also asked NITI Aayog to develop an index to measure water conservation and management, it added.
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