Monday, Mar 24, 2003
Monday, Mar 24, 2003 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
The Centre had eased the situation a bit by announcing that Rs.682.35 crores would be given to the State from the NCCF (National Calamity Contingency Fund) after the Task Force on Drought met. But the State had sought Rs.7,519 crores as relief from the Centre at the outset of the drought last year. This had been the first announcement of funds from NCCF to Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Government as well as the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi had never missed a chance to mention in the past that the State had not been given a single rupee from NCCF while the funds from the CRF (Calamity Relief Fund) was even otherwise given to any State irrespective of its "calamity status''. Both the Centre and the State had been levelling charges against each other on the drought front n election year certain amount of politics is bound to creep in the Centre-State dealings in such matters. Two all party meetings and two meetings of MPs from all the parties in the past held here had agreed not to politicise the issue of drought relief. ``Asking for drought relief assistance from the Centre is not playing politics. The Centre, I would say, is playing politics if it denies it to the drought-hit people of Rajasthan,'' Mr.Gehlot said before leaving for Chennai on Saturday. "Depending on the outcome of the Monday's meeting, a final decision on the march of MLAs to Delhi will be decided,'' he said. The financial burden on the State due to the drought relief measures is heavier this time as the relief activities had commenced as early as in August, 2002. The Centre had so far provided eight lakh metric tonnes of wheat to the State while a total 21 lakh tonnes have been announced for it till July. This was less than 50 per cent of the 56 lakh metric tonnes of wheat the State has been demanding from the Centre. The State Government provides jobs to 16 lakh persons at any given time under the drought relief. As this is in batches each for a period of 10 days, in a month the number of persons employed under drought relief comes to a whooping 54 lakhs. Two thirds of their wages are paid in grains which makes wheat an all important component in the drought relief activities here. It is being pointed out that in cash, Rajasthan has been so far provided only Rs.11 crores for "gaushalas'' while another Rs.115 crores has been received as input subsidies to farmers who have lost their crops. Another Rs.50 crores for "Gaushalas'' in Rajasthan, announced sometime back by the Vice President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat during one of his visits to the State, it is said now, has to be shared with other States.
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