Bengaluru, Sep 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s proposed two-day tour programme to New Delhi from Monday has been called off, an official in the Chief Minister’s Office on Sunday.
B.S. Sridhar, Officer on Special Duty to Chief Minister, in a note issued, said, “The proposed tour programme of Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to New Delhi on September 7 and 8 has been cancelled.”
Apart from discussions on party affairs with Congress High Command, Chief Minister Shivakumar’s now-cancelled Delhi programme was being seen as a crucial development for the government’s efforts to give a memorandum to the Centre and seek drought relief.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to help drought-hit farmers in the state.
Taking to his official X account, Chief Minister Shivakumar said, “Determined to wipe away the tears of the farmers. Scenes examining the real situation of the drought conditions in Bagalkot district. Our (Congress) government will always respond to your hardships, stand behind you.”
Recently, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara had also hinted at the state seeking Centre’s help over drought.
Parameshwara said the state government had declared 101 taluks as drought-affected and would continue assessing the situation for another 15 days.
More taluks could be added to the drought-hit list based on the assessment, he added.
“We will submit the drought memorandum to the Centre by the end of this month or the first week of September. Crop losses are being assessed and the memorandum will be prepared based on the assessment. Subsequently, Central teams will visit the state to conduct a survey, following which drought relief will be released,” he said.
Parameshwara added that providing adequate drinking water, fodder for livestock and employment opportunities to prevent migration would be the state government’s top priorities.
“We will decide on the compensation to be provided to farmers per acre. Drinking water, fodder for livestock and taking up works to prevent migration are our first priorities. We have already initiated measures in this regard,” he said.
Recalling the drought in Karnataka in 2023, Parameshwara noted that the state had suffered losses estimated at Rs 39,000 crore and had submitted a proposal seeking Rs 18,000 crore in relief.
“We went to Delhi and staged a protest. Following the directions of the Supreme Court, Rs 3,500 crore was released. This time, such a situation should not arise,” he said.
–IANS
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