Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on January 20 directed officials to gear up to face challenges ahead in the coming months in tackling the acute drought conditions and ensure effective implementation of relief works.

In his inaugural address to the conference of secretaries, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, zilla panchayat CEOs, an annual exercise to evaluate the progress and shortcoming in the implementation of development programmes, he warned there would be no leniency shown to inefficient officials and they would be rested if they failed to perform.

The Chief Minister said in the last two years despite drought, the government has done well in mitigating the sufferings of the people and the officials had shown resilience in meeting the challenges.

However, he cautioned, with the drought stretching to the third year, the coming three months in particular would throw up grave challenges on drinking water, fodder and providing employment to the people.

In this context, Krishna assured that there would be no resource crunch for vital programmes like drinking water supply to people and livestock and employment generation.

Krishna urged that the need of the hour was to provide a proactive and responsive administration.

He said the government has been implementing 61,000 works in drought-hit areas and has spent Rs 54 crore so far, besides expending Rs 14 crore on drinking water supply.

Krishna said the government would be providing another Rs 80 crore for supplying drinking water.

He said the state requested the Centre to provide Rs 1,563 crore grant and 11 lakh tonne foodgrains for drought relief operations.

The Centre, Krishna said, however, released Rs 171 crore financial assistance and 3.65 lakh tonnes of foodgrains.

PTI