The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Calamity Relief Fund norms need revamp'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Calamity Relief Fund norms need revamp'

Staff Reporter

Present level of Central assistance inadequate: Rajasekharan

M.V. Rajasekharan

BANGALORE: The norms for extending Central assistance to flood- and drought-affected States under the Calamity Relief Fund have to be modified. The level of assistance being given now is not enough to meet the growing magnitude of recurring natural calamities, Union Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan has said.

He was replying to questions from presspersons here on Tuesday on the Centre's delay in releasing funds for relief measures in areas in the State affected by floods and drought.

However, one should understand the limitations of the Centre considering that the norms for releasing assistance under the Calamity Relief Fund were complex and cumbersome. It had become imperative to review certain administrative procedures that were not in keeping with the demands of a growing economy, he said.

Asked what prevented the Centre in providing funds to the State as an urgent measures as it had done in the case of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Rajasekharan asserted that the Centre had been fair to all States.

Information campaign

Mr. Rajasekharan said the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Bangalore, would hold a five-day public information campaign on the Centre's ambitious "Bharat Nirman" programme from September 1 to 5 at the Seshadripuram First Grade College grounds at Yelahanka satellite town.

Briefing presspersons on the objectives of the campaign, the Minister said the campaign was an innovative method evolved by the PIB to disseminate comprehensive information about Bharat Nirman, which is a time-bound plan for creating rural infrastructure by 2009.

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