Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today in Banagluru that the Empowered group of Ministers of the UPA government will study the report of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) on the contingency plan prepared for all the twenty eight districts of Karnataka reeling under drought conditions .
In his preliminary remarks during the review of the drought situation in the state, along with Panchayati raj
and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh , he said the State had to submit separate report on the situation
relating to agriculture, drinking water and other related issues.
Mr Pawar said so far the Centre had released twelve crore rupees under national calamity relief fund,seventy five crore rupees for drinking water purpose .
The Union Rural development minister Jayaram Ramesh said that the Karnataka Government has been asked to re-submit its memorandum to the Central Government indicating, immediate funds requirements to meet the draught situation. He added that the state has sought 250 crore for meeting the drinking water needs but the Central Government has agreed to release 286 crore for it.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar in his presentation said that the state was witnessing a severe shortage of rainfall for the first time in forty years.
According to reports received by the Centre upto July 31, the coastal areas of Karnataka had a sixty per cent shortfall
in rains, as against thirty five per cent in interior Karnataka and forty five per cent in southern parts of the state.