RDPR Minister K.S.Eshwarappa has said the State government would send a proposal to the Centre to revise the NDRF guidelines on providing relief for farmers who suffered huge losses during the floods. Flood water has left heaps of sand on 1,174 ha of agricultural land in Shivamogga district, he said in a meeting in Shivamogga on Monday.
As per the NDRF guidelines, the government could provide only ₹1.43 crore relief. However, it would be a meagre amount considering the cost the farmers had to spend to make their land cultivable. “We will send a proposal to the Centre for suitable changes in the guidelines so that farmers get suitable relief”, he said.
The district administration had assessed the total loss caused due to the rains at ₹491 crore. Four people and 27 heads of cattle died. The government gave relief of ₹ 5lakh each to the families who lost their members. The officers said 126 houses were damaged completely, 478 houses suffered serious damage and 532 were partially damaged. Similarly, 76 cattle sheds had been damaged badly.
The people who lost their houses would be provided with shelter at care centres. A proposal would be submitted to grant rent for them until their houses were built. “We will make a decision on this after holding a meeting with all elected representatives”, the Minister said.
MLAs Hartal Halappa, Ashok Naik, MLCs Ayanur Manjunath, Prasanna Kumar, and Rudre Gowda, and senior officers attended the meeting.
