JAIPUR: Rajasthan Relief Minister Kirorilal Meena has expressed anxiety that the Centre may not agree to release both the cash and foodgrain components of drought relief to the State, for which a demand has been made through a memorandum. The Centre, he said, had not paid any cash towards drought relief. It had also failed to release the second instalment of the Calamities Relief Fund due in December 2005, he said.

Making a statement on the drought situation on the floor of the State Assembly this past week-end, Mr. Meena said the State Government had demanded Rs. 1,544.63 crores in cash and 16.86-lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain towards drought relief from the Centre on December 26, 2005. "The indications are that the Centre will release only 2-lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain.''

Mr. Meena said the `Girdavari' (crop assessment) exercise had been undertaken across the State between September 16 and October 15 last year as per the Land Revenue Manual and there was no scope for its repetition at this stage. He said over 15,700 villages in 22 districts had been declared as scarcity-hit after the assessment of damaged crops.

A committee of the Assembly, to be headed by the Speaker, will look into the ways to extend relief to farmers with the scope for repetition of `Girdavari' having been ruled out. The Chief Minister, Relief Minister and the Leader of Opposition will be its members.

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