Visit flood-hit areas, resolve issues: CM to officers

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa took officials to task Friday over flood relief and rehabilitation, directing them to visit the affected areas and submit a report on the ground situation.

In spite of having given Rs one lakh for those who lost their homes in flood, many have not come forward to take up the construction, Yediyurappa observed during a marathon meeting with all secretaries.

He directed all district incharges to tour the flood-hit districts and resolve the issue. In places where there have been landslides or any other problem hindering the construction of houses, alternative land should be given, he said.

The August 2019 floods, which killed 91 people and displaced nearly seven lakh persons, was the “worst ever” calamity to hit the state in the last 110 years.

That apart, this week alone as much as Rs 785.94 crore had been paid to 5.06 lakh farmers, in compensation for crop loss. However, some farmers were yet to get it as their bank accounts had not been seeded with Aadhaar. The chief minister asked officials to ensure that the amount was deposited in the farmers’ accounts within one week.

Also, Yediyurappa asked Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar to send a note to nationalised banks operating in the state, to not appropriate the input subsidy given to farmers towards their loan accounts. “Earlier too, banks have been issued directions to rectify this. However, it has not been set right,” he said.

While directing the secretaries of each department to conduct monthly meetings and submit reports to ministers concerned, Yediyurappa also directed them to expedite file movement under Sakala. The meeting also discussed expediting land procurement for various government projects.