Bengaluru, Sep 25 Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of failing to take the drought situation seriously and blaming the Centre to deflect attention from its financial difficulties.
He asked the state government to first utilise the funds available under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), saying assistance from the Centre under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) would follow.
“Let the state government first release the SDRF funds. Further assistance under the NDRF would follow subsequently from the Centre,” Joshi told reporters here.
He said the governments led by former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai had utilised SDRF funds before approaching the Centre for additional assistance.
“I would advise Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to look at the old records,” he said.
Joshi alleged that the state government appeared to have exhausted its SDRF funds meant to provide assistance to farmers.
“There is no SDRF money left with them to help farmers. They have exhausted it and are now pointing fingers at the Centre to hide the fact that they have no money,” he alleged.
He questioned the manner in which drought-hit taluks were being identified, alleging that constituencies represented by Congress MLAs who were considering resignation were being included in the drought-hit list.
“Is this the way a government should function?” he asked.
On demands for farm loan waivers and other assistance, the union minister said the Centre was committed to safeguarding Karnataka’s interests.
“The Centre will do whatever is required in the interest of the people of Karnataka. An NDRF team will assess the drought situation, following which a decision on assistance will be taken,” he said.
Joshi alleged that the state government’s Finance Department had raised concerns over its financial position by cautioning against taking up projects involving large expenditures.
“The state government should first come out of the verge of financial bankruptcy,” he said, while accusing Shivakumar of blaming the Centre for everything to please his leader Rahul Gandhi.
Joshi accused the Congress government in Karnataka of rampant corruption, alleging that key posts were being “auctioned”.
He alleged that a tahsildar had demanded Rs 50 lakh to correct land records about two acres and questioned the extent of corruption if contractors were allegedly required to make advance payments to get their bills cleared.
On the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats, Joshi accused the state government of trying to shift the blame to the Centre.
“The Centre has always been committed to the interests of Karnataka and its people. It will take an appropriate decision after environmental studies and consultations with experts, keeping public interest in mind,” he said.
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on September 22, rejecting the K Kasturirangan report on the conservation of the Western Ghats in its present form.
(PTI News)
