From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 10: As many as 23.20 lakh farmers who had lost their crops due to severe drought in the State during the 2012 kharif season will be compensated to the tune of Rs 323 crore.

A cabinet sub-committee on drought headed by Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa, who also holds the Revenue and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolio, has decided to pay compensation to farmers who had lost their crops due to drought in 142 of the 176 taluks in the State.

Farmers of rainfed areas would get compensation of Rs 1,000 per acre while those who had lost seasonal horticulture crops grown under irrigated conditions would get Rs 2,000 per acre, Eshwarappa said.

To provide relief to drought-hit farmers, the State Government has already issued an order to waive crop loans up to Rs 25,000 borrowed from cooperative institutions.

Eshwarappa said the State Government has submitted a proposal seeking short term and long-term assistance of Rs 11,492 crore to the Centre seeking its aid for taking up relief measures in 142 drought-hit taluks.

However, the Central Government has released Rs 419.13 crore in three instalments under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The State Government contributed its share of Rs 22.18 crore, he added.