Flood relief: Govt has taken steps "beyond its limits",says CM

Strongly defending his government's flood relief measures, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said his administration has taken steps "beyond its limits".

Listing out the financial aid being given to the affected and displaced, he claimed that no other state had been able to give such a large amount of relief in the past.

Replying in the assembly to the debate on the situation in flood ravaged regions and relief work taken up so far, he pointed out that rains in early August was a record in 110 years, resulting in floods and large-scale destruction.

"The state government has gone beyond its limits to give relief to the affected and displaced due to rains and floods..

Within our limits we have done the best possible and in the next budget we will provision more to help those affected," Yediyurappa said.

He claimed that it was the first time that any state government was providing such large-scale relief.

"I'm saying this with responsibility... We fully understand that if a government cannot respond to the needs of its people in distress, it is like dead."
Earlier, participating in the debate, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah targeted the government over its "failure" in providing relief to affected and said "if you (government) can't address the needs of the people in distress, quit."