Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 28 : Following the Karnataka government’s request, three teams from the Union Government will visit Karnataka to assess the drought situation, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said.
Speaking to the media near his Sadashivanagar residence today, he said one team will assess the situation in the Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davanagere region, another will visit districts in North Karnataka, while a third team will cover the Mysuru region, including Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar.
The Central teams will visit drought-affected areas and submit their reports. The State Government has already submitted a memorandum to the Centre, based on which the teams will carry out their assessment. The State will also submit another memorandum, he said.
The teams are likely to collect information on all taluks declared drought-affected in the State. They will personally visit some taluks and hold discussions with Deputy Commissioners and local officials. They will also examine whether there is any difference between the findings in the State Government’s report and the ground realities observed during their field visits, Parameshwara explained.
Responding to a question on whether ground truthing would be carried out according to Central guidelines, he said the Central teams have their own guidelines and the State Government followed the same guidelines while declaring drought-affected taluks.
Taluks have been declared drought-affected strictly on the basis of the prescribed criteria. Taluks that did not fall within the guidelines were not declared drought-affected. Therefore, there is unlikely to be any major difference between the State Government’s report and the findings of the Central teams, he said.
Further ground truthing is currently underway. Once it is completed, the final memorandum will be prepared and submitted to the Union Government, he said.
The monsoon period ends on September 30, and the State intends to submit the final memorandum in the first week of October. A comprehensive report detailing the State’s losses and the relief required will be placed before the Centre, he said.
Reiterating the need for an all-party delegation on drought relief, Parameshwara said drought is not an issue confined to any political party. Natural disasters do not distinguish between parties. The Chief Minister has proposed taking an all-party delegation so that everyone can jointly represent Karnataka before the Union Government and seek greater assistance.
Responding to reports that BJP leaders may not join the delegation, he said their party is in power at the Centre. If they accompany the delegation, it would help strengthen the State’s case before the Union Government. However, even if they choose not to participate, the State Government, as the ruling government, will fulfil its responsibility of taking Karnataka’s concerns to the Centre.
Drought is not a party issue; it concerns the interests of the people of Karnataka. Everyone must therefore share responsibility, he said, adding that the BJP would once again be requested to join the delegation when the State submits its appeal to the Centre.
Parameshwara said the State government would not step away from its responsibility even if the Union Government failed to respond after another request for relief.
He said a situation should not arise where the State is once again forced to approach the courts, as it did last year, if the Union Government clearly refuses to provide relief. He appealed to the Centre and the authorities concerned not to allow such a situation to arise.
Responding to differing views expressed by Ministers and MLAs of the party on the guarantee schemes, Parameshwara said the Government was aware from the beginning that implementing the guarantees would require substantial expenditure.
When the manifesto was prepared, an estimate was made of the funds required for these schemes. Initially, the expenditure was estimated at around Rs 40,000-Rs. 45,000 crore. The actual expenditure later rose to over Rs 50,000 crore. Even so, the decision to implement the guarantee schemes was taken consciously, he said.
No one can deny that there is pressure on the State’s finances. However, the Government has managed this financial commitment for the past three years and has the capacity to continue managing it over the next two years as well, he said.
Speaking about pensions, he said the income ceiling, which was earlier Rs 32,000, has now been increased to Rs 1.20 lakh. This will bring many eligible people who had earlier been excluded from pensions back within the scheme.
Around 23 lakh people had earlier lost their pensions. With the income ceiling now increased, eligible beneficiaries will once again receive pensions. At the same time, applications of those who have not submitted the required certificates or do not meet the age criteria will be scrutinised, and ineligible beneficiaries will be removed to streamline the system, he said.
Responding to a question on implementing manifesto commitments, including amendments to the Land Reforms Act, he said the Government still has around one-and-a-half years left in its tenure. This is sufficient time to take the necessary steps, he said.
Responding to Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s statement that he would visit villages in the Mysuru region and fight for those who had lost their land, Parameshwara said there was no question of anyone stopping him from protesting. He is free to carry out his agitation, he said.
Speaking about Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s visit to Delhi, he said the Chief Minister had gone to attend a Working Committee meeting and would also meet party leaders as well as some Union Ministers.
He said the Chief Minister may meet the Union Home Minister regarding drought relief and disaster management. He may also meet Union Ministers handling portfolios such as irrigation and forests to explain Karnataka’s requirements, Parameshwara said.
Responding to a question on appointments to boards and corporations, he said the appointment of party Working Presidents and office-bearers is a separate process from the appointment of chairpersons and directors to boards and corporations.
He said he had been informed that senior leaders, including the party General Secretary, General Secretary in charge of the State, the Chief Minister and the former Chief Minister, had already held discussions and finalised the matter. The appointments are likely to be made at the earliest, he said.