Bengaluru, 11 November

Although the State government had promised to give drought-hit farmers two instalments of Rs 2,500 as compensation, many have been credited only Rs 1,500 or Rs 2,000. 

The government has promised to rectify this. 

“Nobody needs to panic,” Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He said that many had also not even received the amount due to incorrect bank details and loan adjustments, but the government would rectify this. 

“The money has reached accounts where the account numbers and other details are correct. We will rectify the cases where the money has not reached the beneficiaries," he added.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, however, told reporters at his residence that it “appears that officials have calculated the amount per acre when transferring money through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT)” and that they have been instructed to correct these lapses.

“This confusion has arisen because the NDRF guidelines have been misinterpreted. Instructions have also been issued to correctly follow the guideline requiring a minimum of Rs 1,500 per hectare,” Parameshwara added. 

For people who have received the incorrect amount, the remaining balance will be transferred in the later phase, meaning the farmers may receive Rs 3,000 or Rs 3,500 when the second amount is disbursed. 

The government had earmarked Rs 1,250 crore for the first phase of relief, covering around 50 lakh farmer families, and proposed an equal amount for the second phase.