Bengaluru: The Centre has approved an assistance of Rs. 795.54 crore as compensation for rabi crop loss for Karnataka in 2016-17. This will be provided from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). This decision was taken at a meeting of the high-level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday.

The panel examined Karnataka’s proposal seeking compensation, based on the report of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team which visited the drought-affected State. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh also attended the meeting.

Rabi crops too had failed in Karnataka in 2016-17 following failure of the monsoon. In fact, the State has faced drought for three consecutive years.

Around 1,000 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka in the past few years due to crop loss and heavy debts.

Last week, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah waived farm loans up to Rs. 50,000 from cooperative banks amounting to Rs 8,165 crore, and urged the Centre to waive loans from commercial and nationalized banks worth more than Rs 42,000 crore.

Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa and Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda joinly petitioned the Centre seeking more relief, considering that 139 taluks of 176 were drought affected.