Centre releases Rs 3,454 crore drought relief fund for Karnataka

New Delhi: The Centre has released Rs 3,454 crore to Karnataka to take up its drought relief works.

The high power committee headed by Home Minister Amit Shah approved release of funds for drought relief (Kharif 2023), a statement from the Ministry of Finance said.

Credit: Special Arrangement

The Karnataka government had sought Rs 18,174 crore from the Centre to take up drought relief works including Rs 5,662 crore as compensation to farmers who lost their crops due to failure of rain.

The delay in release of funds led to a war of words between the Centre and the Congress government in Karnataka. The Karnataka government accused the Centre of having a step motherly attitude towards the southern state while the Union Government said there was enough money available with the State Disaster Relief Fund for the Karnataka Government to take up relief works.

The Karnataka Government recently went to the Supreme Court seeking highest court intervention to get the fund released. In the apex court, the Centre assured that it would take a positive decision soon on giving relief to Karnataka.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Monday said the Centre's assurance to the Supreme Court was a victory for the farmers of the state.

The state had asked Rs 18,172 crore fund from the Centre to take up drought relief works, out of which Rs 5,662 crore was for compensation to farmers. The Centre should immediately release money to farmers of state as compensation for crop loss, Gowda had told reporters here.

The state has been demanding the Centre for the past nine months to release funds to take up drought relief works but the Centre did not respond to the state's plea. This has forced the state to approach the Supreme Court seeking justice to the state, Gowda had said.