From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Apr 27: Finally, the Narendra Modi regime has released a partial amount towards drought relief funds to Karnataka after the State Government moved the Supreme Court with a writ petition, which compelled the Centre to promise to release funds soon helping the Congress government to claim a ‘partial victory’.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has profusely thanked the apex court for prodding the Centre into acting on the Congress government’s plea for grant of Central funds under the National Disaster Management Fund norms.

However, as against Karnataka’s demand for releasing Rs 18,171 crore towards drought relief, the Centre has approved release of Rs 3,498 crore of which Rs 3,454 crore has been actually released, the Chief Minister said.

“Karnataka has suffered a massive damage of crop loss and other problems involving a total loss of over Rs 30,000 crore and the government had sought release of Rs 18,171 crore under the NDRF norms,” he said pointing out the decision to Rs 3,3498 crore and the actual release of Rs 3,454 crore is ‘grossly inadequate’.

Siddaramaiah said the State Government will continue its fight for the State’s rightful share of funds.

The Chief Minister said the Modi government has agreed to release the funds for drought relief ‘not out of compassion or concern for Karnataka’ and the Government had to wage a battle in the Supreme Court for compelling the Centre into releasing the funds, which the State’s right.

“It is obvious that the Supreme Court, which heard our petition and the arguments from the Attorney General of India, representing the Centre, is convinced of the injustice due to political motives,” he said and pointed out that the Modi government has taken a decision within a week of the Supreme Court pulling the Centre.

“The Centre had promised the Supreme Court to release funds within a week and now to honour this commitment, it has reluctantly released a partial amount,” he said.

Attacking the BJP, the Chief Minister said ‘none of the BJP leaders or the Union Government had any role in the partial release of funds’ and contended that it was because of the concern of the apex court on the plight of the farmers affected by the severe drought situation.

Siddaramaiah said the Central leaders were worried of the repercussions if the people turn against the BJP as the State is going to polls in the next phase for 14 seats in the northern parts of Karnataka and “were afraid that the angry farmers would not allow them to campaign” in the State.

“I appeal to the people to give a befitting reply to the BJP leaders if they try to project and claim that even the partial release of funds for drought relief is because of their efforts and Centre’s concern for the people,” he said.

At the same time, the Chief Minister showed some magnanimity to the Centre “for releasing even a partial amount” of the demand from the State Government. He also urged the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the pending amount besides setting right the injustice to the State in the devolution of funds.

The Chief Minister explained that the Congress government had declared 223 out of the 236 taluks in the State as “drought affected” on September 13 last year. Seven months have already elapsed and Karnataka has suffered crop loss in 48 lakh hectares.

The total damage and loss is of the order of Rs 35,162 crore and the State Government had requested the Centre to release barely half the amount of Rs 18,171 crore.