Thursday, August 31 2006 16:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The Centre today (Aug 31, 2006) announced an 'immediate relief' of Rs 250 crore to Karnataka to meet the flood situation and promised help to tackle drought too.

"We are giving this money immediately," Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters after an aerial survey of five flood-hit districts in North Karnataka and a meeting to review the flood and drought situation with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and top officials.

"This does not mean it (immediate relief) will suffice to meet the demand of the people. If something more will be required in future, it will also be given," Patil, who made the aerial survey of the districts of Bidar, Belgaum, Bagalkote, Bijapur and Gulbarga told reporters.

Observing that drought conditions were more widespread than floods, Patil said the Centre would "definitely" provide help on this issue and he would discuss it with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to provide foodgrains also.

He said the Central team, which visited the flood-hit districts last week, was expected to submit its report in a day or two to the government.

Patil was accompanied by Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar and Opposition Congress leader in the Assembly N Dharam Singh and KPCC President Mallikarjuna Kharge in his aerial survey.

Kumaraswamy said the state had been asked to prepare a comprehensive plan on providing permanent relief to people who are affected by floods every year to rehabilitate them in safer places.