From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 24: An eight member Central team headed by Vasudha Misra, Managing Director, Agriculture and Cooperation of the Union Government, called on the State Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee and discussed extent of damage caused to crops following recent unseasonal rains in North Karnataka districts.
 
The team had visited Bagalkot, Bidar, Bijapur and Belgaum districts and inspected damages to crops, including grape, caused by untimely rains and hailstorm a few days ago before their meeting with the Chief Secretary in Bangalore on Monday.
 
The State Government submitted a memorandum to the team seeking relief of Rs 109 crore to provide compensation for farmers who had lost crops due to hailstorm.

According to officials in the State Government, standing crops on 1.61 hectares were damaged.

Hailstorm claimed lives of 22 people and damaged nearly 1000 houses in north Karnataka districts. The total damaged was estimated at Rs 700 crore, they said.

Agriculture, Revenue and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department officials attended the meeting.

State Chief Secretary Mukherjee urged the team to submit a report to the Centre recommending immediate release of compensation to the State.

Following enforcement of model code of conduct, the team had not met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, even though the latter had visited the unseasonal rain affected areas.