Centre may not release funds for private property damaged in Karnataka floods

Funds for flood relief aid sought by the Karnataka government from the Centre are set to be delayed after the central government stated that relief cannot be sanctioned for damages to private infrastructure.

The state government estimated the damage to crops and infrastructure due to the heavy rains in August at Rs 3,845.11 crore and sought immediate relief funds from the central government. This included damages to both public and private buildings. 

However, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka confirmed to reporters that the Centre has sought clarification from the Karnataka government about flood-relief works.

“We had taken into consideration damages to private hospitals, schools, and other private buildings while estimating total relief. Now, the Centre has told us that relief cannot be granted to private infrastructure, and hence we are now reworking the estimated loss. We will send the revised report to the Centre in the next two days,” he said as per The Hindu.

He added that most people camped in relief centres have returned home and that immediate relief was already given to over 2 lakh people. "Only 1,929 families in Belagavi are yet to receive immediate relief. We have received complaints (of false claims) and we are verifying the claims", Ashoka said as per Times of India. The state government reported that 2,47,628 houses, 8.88 lakh hectares of farmland and 21,818 km of roads were damaged.

The floods were caused by heavy rains in the state in the first week of August. It prompted rescue and relief operations in coastal, Malnad and northern parts of the state. In all, the floods affected 22 of the 30 districts while landslides were reported in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts.

The heavy rainfall had led to a high inflow of up to 6 lakh cusecs of water into the Krishna river causing it to overflow and cause flooding in the northern Karnataka districts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Raichur and Yadgir.