Centre to decide on flood relief funds soon: CM BSY

Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday assured Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that the Centre would take a decision on releasing funds to take up relief works in flood-hit areas in Karnataka in a couple of days.

The chief minister, who met Shah at his Krishna Menon Marg residence here, told reporters that Shah assured to take a decision on releasing funds in a couple of days, after discussing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Since the state had witnessed massive damage of properties and crops due to flood, it had sought the funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The decision on release of NDRF fund has to be taken by a high-powered committee headed by the Union Home Minister.

"I have requested the Home Minister to release funds to the state at the earliest as the government has to take up massive works. His response was positive. Despite the poor financial condition in the state, the government has released Rs 2,000 crore so far,” he said.

Yediyurappa dismissed the allegation that the Centre was adopting a step-motherly approach towards Karnataka in releasing funds.

“The Centre has not released the money to any state, including election-bound Maharashtra. The home minister assured to release funds to Karnataka along with other states,” he said.

An expert committee, which visited the state to assess the damage caused due to the flood, had submitted its report to the Home Ministry. The state government has also responded to some clarifications sought by the home ministry on flood relief, the chief minister said.

Deputy Chief Ministers C N Ashwath Narayan, Laxman Savadi and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai accompanied the chief minister.