CM Siddaramaiah announces additional grant of over Rs 1,033 cr to flood-hit farmers
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced an additional grant of over Rs 1,033 crore to the farmers affected by floods this year.
The Chief Minister said the state government has also put forth a request to the Centre to release state's share of compensation to the farmers.
Briefing reporters here, Siddaramaiah said there is crop loss in 14.58 lakh hectare area and there are 14.24 lakh affected farmers in the state.
"As per State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms, we are giving compensation. Farmers had earlier received funds under SDRF. Today the state government is giving additional money to the tune of of Rs 1,033.6 crore,” he said.
Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda who was also present on the occasion said the amount is already in the bank accounts of the deputy commissioners of the districts, who are the disbursement officers.
Gowda added that the farmers will get through Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS).
“We are giving compensation to the farmers. This government is in favour of farmers and responds to their sufferings,” the Chief Minister explained.
Siddaramaiah said the state government has already submitted a request to the Centre to pay the state’s share of compensation to the farmers.
“We have asked the Centre for 1,521.67 crore for recovery and reconstruction and Rs 614.9 crore for compensation to the farmers,” he said.
He said the state has informed the Centre that there was damage of property in state due to floods to the tune of Rs 3,455 crore.
“We cannot ask for so much funds because we have to go by the norms. As per norms, we are supposed to get Rs 1,521.67 crore as relief fund to the farmers. We request the Centre to release grants for compensation to the farmers,” the chief minister said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
