"Insurance firms to be told to compensate flood hit farmers in

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that insurance firms would be directed to pay compensation to farmers who suffered losses in the floods in Karnataka. Speaking to reporters at Belagavi after conducting an aerial survey of Belagavi and Bagalkot districts, she said insurance firms would be instructed to conduct meetings with officers and elected representatives of the districts concerned and finalise the compensation amount and to conduct their surveys and formalities later.

The Centre would also take steps to protect farmers and poor people from money lenders, Sitharaman added. Incessant rains in many districts in Karnataka over the past few days have left 26 people dead and affected thousands.

The finance minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, visited flood-hit Belagavi and Bagalkote districts and spoke to some flood affected people. She also visited a few relief centres and took stock of the situation.

At one of the affected areas, a woman broke down while narrating her plight..

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