Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Mar 10: "The finance commission has given its opinion that an additional amount of Rs 5,400 crore can be sanctioned to the state government towards meeting losses inflicted by natural disasters. The proposal relating to this issue is before the finance ministry. I will soon meet the finance minister and discuss the matter," said union minister D V Sadananda Gowda.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday March 9, he noted that the 15th finance commission is an independent body, which has drafted rules about how money should be utilized. "The central government does not have control over this body. There have been certain problems in the way of sanctioning natural disaster grant to Karnataka. The commission has opined that in addition to the compensation already released, a sum of Rs 5,400 crore can be additionally given to Karnataka towards natural disaster relief. Yediyurappa has already urged the central government to release the funds, and I will also speak to minister Nirmala Sitharaman," he explained.

Gowda condemned the reported conspiracy to kill Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarasanghachalak, Mohan Bhagwath. He said that the union government will take steps to make sure that such attempts do not recur."This information may be true or false, but the government will take measures to see that such conspiracies are promptly defused. When the media persons questioned him about media restrictions inside state assembly, Gowda he opined that in a democracy, keeping the media away is not right. However, he hastened to add that it is left to the discretion of the speaker and as per protocol, his decisions cannot be challenged.