Bengaluru, 27 Nov 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced an additional grant of over Rs 1,033 crore to the farmers affected by floods this year.

The Chief Minister said the Karnataka government has also put forth a request to the Centre to release State’s share of compensation to the farmers.

Briefing the press in the City, Siddaramaiah said there is crop loss in 14.58 lakh hectare area and there are 14.24 lakh affected farmers in the State.

“As per State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, we are giving compensation. Farmers had earlier received funds under SDRF. Today the State government is giving additional money to the tune of Rs 1,033.6 crore,” he said.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who was also present on the occasion, said the amount is already in the bank accounts of the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the districts. DCs are the disbursement officers.

Gowda added that the farmers will get through Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS).

CM ASKS CENTRE FOR FUNDS 

Siddaramaiah said the State has informed the Centre that there was damage of property in State due to floods to the tune of Rs 3,455 crore.

“We cannot ask for so much funds because we have to go by the norms. As per norms, we are supposed to get Rs 1,521.67 crore as relief fund to the farmers. We request the Centre to release grants for compensation to the farmers,” he said.

“We have asked the Centre for 1,521.67 crore for recovery and reconstruction and Rs 614.9 crore for compensation to the farmers,” Siddaramaiah noted.