Karnataka to receive additional Rs 669 crore flood relief from Centre

The Centre on Monday has approved an additional Rs 669 crore to Karnataka under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), to assuage the hardships faced for relief works in flood and landslide-hit areas of the state.

Home Minister Amit Shah in a committee meeting on Monday took the decision after assessing the state's detailed report of the havoc caused by floods and heavy rains in August. The decision has come days after Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Tumakuru and Bengaluru on January 2 and 3 for additional funds.

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Rs 1,200 crore allocated in October 2019

Earlier in October 2019, the Union government had allocated Rs 1,200 crore as financial assistance for rebuilding the infrastructure damaged by the heavy and incessant rains that caused the floods.

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According to a release, Karnataka has received the highest amount of funds from the Centre among the 13 flood-hit states. While a release by Press Information Bureau claimed that Rs 1,869 crore was approved, state government officials clarified that the Rs 1,869 is including the additional Rs 669 crore.

The opposition Congress, however, criticised the Centre calling the amount to be pittance as against the heavy infrastructural damages suffered by the state during the floods. Taking to Twitter, the Karnataka Congress unit has slammed the central government for allegedly portraying that Rs 1,869 crore is over and above the Rs 1,200 crore allotted in October 2019.

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