Task force allocates 1.65 lakh tonnes of foodgrain for State

DH News Service, NEW DELHI, March 14

The task force on drought management headed by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today decided to allocate 1.65 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for drought relief measures in Karnataka to be utilised from April to June 2003.

The meeting reviewed the situation in some of the drought affected states and allocated 19.39 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for employment generation programmes for the next three months.

STATE-WISE BREAK-UP: Announcing the state-wise allocation, Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh said Andhra Pradesh has been allocated 3.15 lakh tonnes and Tamil Nadu 3.5 lakh tonnes. Allocations have also been made to Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh and Kerala.

For the first time Gujarat was given 1.48 lakh tonnes foodgrains.
Orissa has been allocated 4.44 lakh tonnes.

For the state of Kerala 0.42 lakh tonnes has been allocated, he said.
Among those who attended the meeting included Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K C Pant, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, Food Minister Sharad Yadav and Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar.

REVISION OF NORMS: Mr Singh said the committee of secretaries would soon consider revision of norms for allocation of foodgrains for the drought affected states and will submit its report for the consideration of the Task Force at its meeting on March 23.

EMPLOYMENT: It may be recalled that three different teams from Karnataka called on Union ministers and prime minister during the last one week seeking allocation of one lakh tonnes of foodgrains for employment generation works for the State for the next five months.

MINISTERS’ TEAM: A team of ministers called on Mr Singh, Mr Kumar, Mr Pant etc while a delegation of MPs and a team of BJP leaders called on Mr Vajpayee with the same request.