Bidar: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is on a statewide tour of drought-hit areas, said that the government has urged the Centre to release Rs 1,417 crore relief aid for the farmers who were worst affected by rabi crop loss.

Siddaramaiah who was in Kalaburagi on Friday, said that the State would start disbursing relief to the farmers from its own funds if the union government delays the compensation sought by the State.

The CM also attended a review meeting in Bidar and instructed officials to take over private water sources, borewells and tankers, owned or operated by private individuals.

He asked the officials to take over the tankers and pay a fixed monthly price to the owners.

“There are over 661 villages in Bidar and out of these 373 are worst affected due to water scarcity. Already officials are supplying water to 18 villages through tanks and rest of the villages are provided water once in a week. To speed up the water supply works in drought-hit areas, the state government would relax tender and other norms,” he said.

During his visit to the city, CM inaugurated drinking water tanks at MLA Rahim Khan’s farmhouse accompanied by agriculture minister Krishna Bairegowda, district-in-charge minister Umashree, DC Anurag Takur and local MLAs.