Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has revealed that floods and landslides affect an estimated 2,225 villages and 2,038,334 people in the state each time they occur. He has directed officials to identify the distressed villages and implement permanent relief measures. Additionally, he mandated the immediate settlement of compensation according to State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms for those whose houses and crops have been damaged by the recent rains.
The Chief Minister reviewed the pending pension applications in various districts and instructed the respective Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to settle them within the stipulated time. He questioned the presence of overdue applications and ordered the DCs to resolve them promptly. The current disposal period for pensions, which stands at 45 days, will be reduced to 30 days.
In response to the issue of farmer suicides, Siddaramaiah directed the DCs to act liberally in providing compensation and to assist the affected families without rejecting applications for minor technical reasons. He noted that the state pays crores of rupees each month in rent for sub-registrar offices operating in private buildings.
Highlighting discrepancies in Below Poverty Line (BPL) card distribution, Siddaramaiah pointed out that 80% of the state's population holds BPL cards, compared to 40% in Tamil Nadu. According to Niti Aayog, the actual percentage of people below the poverty line in the state should be lower. He instructed that ineligible BPL cards be cancelled and that eligible individuals be provided with BPL cards.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need to streamline processes to prevent people from having to run from pillar to post unnecessarily. He also praised the state's improved drought management efforts this year. Problematic villages regarding drinking water were identified early, and alternative arrangements were made. A total of Rs 85 crore was spent on drought management transparently, with Rs 783 crore available in the DC's PD account.
This monsoon season, Karnataka has received seven per cent more rainfall than usual. Consequently, 225 waterlogged villages have been identified by 1,247 gram panchayats. Task forces have been formed in each gram panchayat, nodal officers appointed, and mock drills conducted to enhance preparedness.
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