STOCKTAKING: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy holding a meeting with the Central drought team in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday urged the Central study team, which visited the State, to recommend maximum assistance for tackling the drought situation in 124 taluks.

The Chief Minister told presspersons after holding consultations with the study team led by Ashish Bahuguna, Joint Secretary in the Union Agriculture and Cooperation Ministry, that funds released by the Centre for taking up relief measures were meagre. He urged the team to recommend more funds to help the people in the drought-hit regions. Expressing confidence that the team would do justice to Karnataka, Mr. Kumaraswamy said State officials had provided sufficient information on the drought situation to the Central team.

He said the team had expressed satisfaction about relief measures initiated by the Government.

Drinking water supply

The Government would be presenting a proposal to the Centre for extending the rural drinking water scheme to Karnataka, he said.

Mr. Bahuguna said the team had studied information on rainfall in the affected areas and would submit its report in a week.

He acknowledged that Karnataka was facing a drought.

According to sources, the team was unhappy with the officials of the State Government for not providing correct information on the extent of damage to crops, and the loss in terms of revenue to farmers.

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