Karnataka CM Yediyurappa meets PM Modi, asks for funds for flood relief
Karnataka CM Yediyurappa after meeting PM Narendra Modi said that he assured to send central study team soon to assess the damage due to the floods, the chief minister said in the national capital after the meeting
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Bengaluru: Â Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday (August 16) met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and appealed for release of funds immediately to take up relief works in the flood and rain-ravaged state.
Responding to his appeal, the Prime Minister assured to send central study team soon to assess the damage due to the floods, the chief minister said in the national capital after the meeting.
"State is hit by a calamity that has not taken place in the last 108 years. Fifteen days ago there was drought situation, but today dams are full and because of excess water released from Maharashtra there is damage caused, about all these things we have brought to the notice of the Prime Minister," Yediyurappa said.
The Karnataka chief minister said the Prime Minister "understood everything" and soon he will be sending a team for assessment.
"We have asked for release of funds as immediate relief. He (PM) said, he will discuss and let us know. I'm confident that he is in know of the situation in the state as he has already gathered information. Let's wait and see," he added.
Recently, Yediyurappa had requested the Centre to release Rs 3,000 crore as interim relief immediately to take up rehabilitation work.
Hitting out at the BJP-led Central government over the "delay" in announcing relief, despite Union home minister Amit Shah and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman personally assessing the situation, the opposition parties-both Congress and JD(S) had demanded the immediate release of Rs 5,000 crore as interim relief.
Asked if there was any assurance from the Prime Minister on Rs 3,000 crore as immediate relief, Yediyurappa merely said: "According to an estimate loss is over Rs 40,000 crore."
"They include, (damaged) houses, roads, bridges, we have to find solutions to all these things. We have informed the Prime Minister about all these things," he added.
According to a release from the chief minister's office, during the 45-minute meeting chief minister apprised the Prime Minister about the grave situation of the flood-hit areas in the state and explained that the losses suffered due to floods was unseen before, and more funds are required to take up relief measures and rebuild the lives of the victims.
Chief secretary to government TM Vijay Bhaskar, additional chief secretary to chief minister, P Ravikumar were present at the meeting, it added.
The death toll in flood and rain ravaged Karnataka has reached 62 till Thursday night (August 15), while 14 people are still classified as missing, and nearly seven lakh people have been evacuated till date.
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