Karna govt forms cabinet sub-committees on drought relief

The Karnataka government has formed four cabinet sub-committees to study and conduct review of relief works being undertaken in the drought-affected areas of the state.
The committees have been tasked with touring the affectedareas from December 5 to 20, review the relief works, collect information from public and officials and submit a ground report to the government, an official release said.
Four committees, one each for a revenue division of Bengaluru, Kalburgi, Belagavi and Mysuru will have four to five ministers as its members and Secretaries or Principal Secretaries of Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Water Resources and Revenue department as coordination officers.

The Regional Commissioners and District Deputy Commissioners will maintain constant contact with coordinationofficers and will facilitate in smooth conduct of the sub-committee meetings by providing them required information.
District Deputy Commissioners have been directed to ensure that all the officials from the division attended the meetings and provided information to the sub-committees.
Karnataka is reeling under successive years of drought, and the state government has already declared 139 taluks in 29 districts as drought hit.
Through a memorandum, the state had requested the Centre to provide Rs 4702.54 crore for drought relief measures, following which a team of officials had visited theaffected areas.

The state government has released Rs 60 lakh each to drought affected assembly constituencies to take immediate steps.