Central Team in Karnataka to assess flood damage, second visit to state

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

Bengaluru, Dec 14, 2020:    An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit different parts of Karnataka from today to assess the damage and extent of loss caused by the floods this year. The six-member IMCT, which will be split into three teams, will visit parts of northern and coastal Karnataka.

 

Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa met team members on Sunday ahead of their field visit. "I heartily welcome Inter-Ministerial Central Team led by Shri. Ramesh Kumar Ganta, who have all been deputed to Karnataka to make first hand assessment damages and loss caused due to floods," he said.

He said ₹577.84 crore had been released from the NDRF for flood relief.

This is the second Inter-Ministerial Central Team to visit Karnataka. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had earlier reviewed the flood situation twice through video conference and had assured the state of support.

The southern state had experienced major flooding in August - and experienced heavy rains again in the months of September and October. This was accompanied by very high discharges from reservoirs in Maharashtra to downstream Karnataka and this was probably the first time the state faced floods in Krishna and Bhima basins in a single year.

The chief minister’s office said that floods and landslides have damaged crops in more than 16 lakh hectares; around 34,794 houses had been damaged, apart from extensive damage to critical infrastructure. The government has estimated the total damage at ₹15,410 crores.

"In view of the estimated huge loss of ₹ 15,410 Crores, I urge the IMCT to recommend release of central assistance to enable us to provide relief to the affected people and to take up repair of damaged infrastructure," Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by his office in a release.

To provide immediate relief the state government disbursed input subsidy of ₹ 551.14 Crores to 7.12 lakh farmers. ₹ 1,320.48 crores was committed for flood relief, repair and reconstruction.

The state government is providing ₹5 lakhs for completely damaged houses, ₹ 3 lakhs for severely damaged houses and ₹ 50,000 for partially damaged houses. The state will incur an expenditure of ₹ 465 Crores towards housing assistance.

The Inter-ministerial Central Team over the next two days will be travelling to flood affected areas in Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Udupi districts, official sources said.