Karnataka allots Rs.100 crore more for disaster management

The Karnataka government has allocated Rs.100 crore for disaster management preparedness in addition to Rs.150 crore earmarked in the state budget for 2013-14 towards safety measures in five cities across the state.

"To meet any unforeseen calamity, we are allocating an additional Rs.100 crore for disaster management during this fiscal," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said at a workshop here on 'International Best Practices in Building Resilient Cities'.

Informing the participants that Karnataka was the first state in the country to adopt the Planning Commission's guidelines on disaster management, the chief minister said a separate fund with Rs.125 crore would be set up from the department's budget for rescue and relief operations in towns and villages across the state.

The five cities where infrastructure for disaster management is being provided are Bangalore, Belguam, Hubli, Mangalore and Mysore to ensure safety of citizens in the event of a natural disaster.

"The funds will be utilised to mitigate hardships arising out of disasters and meet the needs of districts affected by natural calamities," Siddaramaiah said.

The government plans to set up a natural calamities relief fund to build capital assets, which are not covered under the state disaster response fund so as to make the state resilient against natural or man-made disasters.

"Though the workshop focus is on cities, methodology for mitigation and preparedness should remain same for towns and villages as value of life and property merits equal attention and same priority," Siddaramaiah observed.

Organised by the state revenue department and Synergia Foundation, an Indian arm of the US-based research think tank, the three-day international workshop assumes significance in the aftermath of the natural calamity in Uttarkhand in mid-June, claiming hundreds of lives and destroying houses, infrastructure and other properties.