Bangalore:
Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday sought to put his own party government on the mat for its alleged laxity on management of severe drought, and demanded waiver of crop loans of farmers.
Speaking on a debate on drought in the Legislative Assembly, he said no plan had been prepared to mitigate drinking water crisis in villages, provide jobs under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and hold sufficient stock of fodder.
Hitting out at the State Government for its alleged laxity in the implementation of relief measures to tackle drought, he appealed to Mr Shettar to waive crop loans borrowed by farmers last year.
"Neither agricultural universities nor the agriculture department prepared action plans to tackle drought", he said, adding, he would tour the State for a month from August first week and monitor relief works staying in villages.
He also urged Mr Shettar to set aside Rs 10,000 crore to mitigate drought on a war footing, and wanted him to clearly spell out programmes to be implemented to tackle drought in the next three-four months.
As a one-time measure, he demanded waiver of crop loans to the tune of Rs 2300 crore borrowed by farmers last year from cooperative banks. On account of drought last year also, farmers could not harvest yields. This year's drought has rubbed salt on wounds of farmers, he said.