Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on Sunday that the State would seek Rs. 426 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation in areas affected by floods in the State.
Speaking to presspersons here on Sunday, he said parts of north Karnataka had been hit by severe floods and the extent of loss had been estimated. “We have sent a report to the Centre,” he said.
A Central team would visit the flood-affected regions in due course and would assess the situation before releasing funds, he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said an all-party delegation would go to Delhi to apprise the Centre of the damage, if necessary.
On the issue of appointing chairpersons to boards and corporations, Mr. Siddaraiamaiahh said a meeting would be held with the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G. Parameshwara. “We want to give more representation to women, and the process of appointing will take some time,” he added.
The Chief Minister refuted reports that he had written to the All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi on the issue and said they were mere speculation.
On the remarks of the former Minister Umesh Katti for a separate north Karnataka state, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he would not take such comments seriously. “Mr. Katti was a Minister and he is a senior leader and he should speak responsibly,” the Chief Minister added.
He was ambivalent on the issue raised by Pamoda Devi Wadiyar, wife of the late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, that Dasara cultural programmes should not be held in front of the palace. “District in-charge Minister V. Srinivas Prasad has been entrusted with the responsibility of resolving the issue,” he added.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was in the city to participate in the Dalit Sahitya Sammelan and to inaugurate new facilities at the College of Horticulture. He also launched the Dasara Amantrana Ratha, which will tour the State inviting people to participate in the Naada Habba.
(The Hindu)
