Central team to assess drought in state from Saturday

A 10-member inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) is slated to visit Karnataka for three days starting on Novermber 17 to take stock of the drought situation and decide the quantum of financial assistance that the state should get.

According to Revenue Minister R V Deshpande, the team led by senior IFS officer Amitabh Gautam, joint secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, will visit 13 districts that Karnataka has declared as drought-hit. The team will conduct spot assessment of losses due to the drought situation.

Karnataka has estimated a loss of Rs 16,662 crore due to drought this kharif season and has sought a financial assistance of Rs 2,434 crore from the Centre. The government has declared 100 taluks as drought-hit, which includes Anekal and Devanahalli near Bengaluru.

According to Deshpande, the IMCT team has been divided into three sub-groups. The first group led by Gautham will visit Yadgir, Raichur, Ballari and Davangere.

The second group headed by P S Mahesh, director of the Central Poultry Development Organisation and Training Institute will visit Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura.

The third group under NITI Aayog deputy advisor (agriculture) Manash Choudhury will head to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru and Chitradurga.