The High Level Committee approved Rs 723 crore assistance to Karnataka. (Representational photo)
With concerns over the drought situation mounting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of the High Level Committee in New Delhi today for central assistance to Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh which have been affected by drought and floods.
As an immediate move to provide relief, the High Level Committee approved Rs 723.23 crore assistance to Karnataka, Rs 35.14 crore for Puducherry and Rs 84.33 crore assistance for Arunachal Pradesh.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Radha Mohan Singh, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and senior officers from the Ministries of Home, Finance and Agriculture attended the meeting.
The committee examined the proposals based on the report of the central team which visited Karnataka, affected by drought, and Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh, affected by floods.
The committee also cleared central assistance of Rs 84.33 crore to Arunachal Pradesh, including Rs 18 crore under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme.