BJP stages walkout on drought issue

Accusing the Congress of failure in tackling the drought situation in the state, BJP members today staged a walkout in the Karnataka Assembly.

During a debate on the issue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the House that all steps had been taken to face drought-related problems and that the government is ready to face it. "The government is ready to face drought. There is no dearth of money. The government will give money to solve all problems relating to drought including drinking water problem," he said.

However, not satisfied with Siddaramaiah's reply, the BJP staged a walkout raising slogans against the government.

Leader of Opposition Jagadish Shettar said the government had failed to address the drought situation and had "not prepared" any contingency plan. "It had not conducted even one meeting of the Disaster Management Authority, headed by Chief Minister," he said.

Congress members, however, alleged that the BJP was politicising the drought issue to gain political gains.

The government has instructed the authorities concerned to give some more repayment time for those farmers who have taken short and medium term loans, Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, Revenue Minister Srinivasa Prasad said the contingency plan is in place and all measures have been taken to tackle the drought. The state has been reeling under drought for the last three years and the government has been taking appropriate steps to tackle it, he said.

From March to May, the state received good rainfall which was 30 per cent more than normal and in June, it recorded 47 per cent deficiency in rainfall, Prasad said.