Karnataka government to set up squad to check misuse of flood-relief funds

The Karnataka government will set up a state-wide squad to check any misuse during the flood relief programme, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said on Wednesday.

Addressing reporters after a meeting with senior officials on the flood relief programme, Ashoka said there was a notion among some people that the natural calamity was an opportunity to plunder resources.

"This belief reflects in (sections of) media as well", he said. "For the first time, we have decided to form a squad, which will randomly visit places to contain the menace of middlemen," Ashoka added.

This statewide squad, which would travel to flood-affected areas and meet people there would examine whether the money reached the beneficiaries, the affected persons or middlemen were siphoning it off, he said.

Ashoka said the government would directly transfer money into the accounts of the victims instead of paying through cheques.

Cautioning officers against any malpractices in the name of flood relief programme, he said, "We will take stringent action against anybody demanding money from the flood hit people to include them in the list of beneficiaries."

"We will make sure that such officers do not stay in the department," the Minister warned.

On the minutes of the meeting, Ashoka said they discussed preparation of an estimate of the flood related damages to seek Central aid.

"We have prepared a note comprising all the points required to get central aid. We had a detailed discussion on this issue. We convened the meeting to get maximum aid from the centre. In two days we will ready the estimate," he added.

He acknowledged services rendered by Central forces such as Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and National Disaster Response Force and 43 teams from State comprising fire force, home guards, civil defence and Karnataka State Reserved Police and saving a large number of people.

"We express our deep gratitude for the services rendered by these forces in Karnataka to save our people," Ashoka said.

The flood, which hit parts of the State in the first fortnight of August, wrecked havoc with almost all the riversin spate. As many as 82 people lost their lives in flood and rain-related incidents.

About five lakh people were displaced. According to the State government, 103 taluks of 22 districts were affected. The flood damaged 7.5 lakh hectaresof land and 75,317 houses.