Bangalore: The State Government is hopeful of receiving additional funds from the Centre for flood relief operations and has begun to raise funds on its own by initiatives such as floating bonds.

Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash on Wednesday chaired a meeting of deputy commissioners of districts to review the flood relief measures. Apart from members of the Cabinet subcommittee on relief works, district in-charge ministers also attended the meeting.

While relief works in 12 districts were reviewed on Wednesday, the deputy commissioners of the remaining districts will make a presentation on Thursday.

Mr. Prakash told presspersons that the State Government has so far received Rs. 471 crores from the Centre. The State Government has allocated Rs. 104 crores from its resources. Thus, a total of Rs. 575 crores is available for relief operations and Rs. 270 crores has been released for various works.

Crop-loss compensation has been drastically reduced owing to limited funds. A sum of Rs. 2,000 an acre will be paid for irrigated crops and Rs. 1,000 an acre for dry crops. The Government has permitted the Public Works Department to undertake relief works outside the purview of the Transparency Act until March 31, 2006.

This will enable the department to undertake relief works even on piecework contract and avoid delay.

Mr. Prakash said the Government has approved the relocation of a number of villages, which were submerged during the recent floods.

Referring to relief works in Bangalore, he said while the Government has granted Rs. 10 crores, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has set apart Rs. 5 crores. The funds will be utilised for repairing the badly damaged roads.

Agricultural production

Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda said agricultural production in the State during the rabi season is expected to be good and will cross the 100-lakh tonne mark. Production was originally estimated to be around 113 lakh tonnes, but the heavy rain cut yields.

The Government is on guard to check any fall in the prices of agricultural commodities.

Mr. Srinivasa Gowda said the Government has fixed the minimum support price for maize at Rs. 540 a tonne and for ragi at Rs. 525 a tonne for the current season.

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