CM Siddaramaiah meets PM Modi, demands more central assistance


Bengaluru, Nov 29 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his office in New Delhi on Friday. While thanking him for giving time to meet him at short notice, CM Siddaramaiah submitted a memorandum demanding central assistance and cooperation on some issues.

The CM has requested to rectify a "severe" cut in the NABARD loan to the state, to allocate Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project as announced in the Union Budget, to help the state to get clearances for the Mekedatu and Mahadayi projects. He also demanded funds for the development of Bengaluru city.

The memorandum stated, “Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, at the outset let me thank you for giving me time to meet you at short notice. I wish to raise some critical issues of paramount importance for our state. Firstly, the issue of severe cuts in the ‘Short Term Agricultural Credit Limit’ to Karnataka by NABARD has created serious alarm among the farmers of the state. As against Rs 5,600 crore of limit sanctioned during 2023-24, NABARD has sanctioned only Rs 2, 340 crore for the current year (2024-25), which is a steep cut of 58 per cent, CM pointed out. This will seriously impact the cost of finance for farmers unless the state steps in to provide additional interest subvention which will severely impact our finances. I have met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this regard and apprised her of our concerns. I request you to look into this and direct the Finance Ministry to rectify this situation so that farmers in Karnataka continue to receive soft agricultural loans,” he stated.

“Secondly, as I have requested of you earlier, the promise made by the Union Finance Minister in the Union budget of 2023-24 to provide Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project remains to be fulfilled. I understand a Cabinet note has been moved to provide this assistance under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme. I would request you to give approval to this proposal at your earliest convenience, as the Upper Bhadra project provides irrigation to the parched farm-lands of central Karnataka,” CM urged.

"Thirdly, Karnataka is an arid state and desperately needs development of irrigation potential. This task has been carried out largely by the state from its own resources. However, pending project clearances by the Jal Shakti Ministry as well as by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change are delaying our projects," he emphasized.

"Two projects need your urgent attention, viz., the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir on the Cauvery River and the Kalasa Banduri project on the Mahadayi River. The former needs approval from the Jal Shakti Ministry as well as environmental clearance. The latter is at an advanced stage for wildlife clearance. Kindly direct the two ministries to expedite clearances for these projects," CM Siddaramaiah demanded.

"Fourthly, Bengaluru has emerged as the Tech and Innovation Capital of the country and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. The city is among the top three contributors to the country’s GDP. The city needs major infrastructure investment. Our government has major plans to improve the infrastructure, de-congest the city and upgrade the living standards of the city for all its citizens. In my letter of June 29, 2024, which I had the opportunity of meeting and handing over to you, I had outlined our vision and a series of projects that we are taking up,” he stated.

“I request you to direct the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Road Transport to look into our requests favourably and provide special assistance to the city so as to enable us to invest in urban transport and public transport for the city,” he stated.

“Further, Karnataka is fast urbanizing and we have 13 city corporations which are Tier-2 cities that need massive investment,” he said.

The Government of Karnataka has a programme called Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikas Yojana under which we have dedicated Rs.2,000 crore over the next three years. However, this is woefully inadequate to meet the infrastructure to these cities. I request you to direct the Ministry of Urban Development to provide Rs.10,000 crore for these cities under AMRUT or any other schemes., CM Siddaramaiah requested.

“Finally, we have been raising the issue of Karnataka receiving a raw deal at the hands of the 15th Finance Commission. It is our firm belief that the Ministry of Finance could have set the right anomalies in the recommendations that lowered our share in the divisible pool of taxes by 1 per cent,” he stated.

"At the very least, the Ministry could have accepted the recommendations made by the Finance Commission to give two kinds of special grants to the state: one, Rs 5,495 crore to compensate for the reduction in our share, two, a special grant of Rs 6,000 crore for Peripheral Ring Road and for rejuvenation of water bodies, he claimed.

“Since we are still in the period of the 15th Finance Commission, I would again request you to direct the Ministry of Finance to provide additional grants,” he stressed.

"Further, together with the 16th Finance Commission the Ministry of Finance must make sure that in the future states contributing a larger share to the central taxes are not punished by severe cuts in the share of those central taxes," he demanded.

“I do hope our requests receive favourable consideration from you,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.

 

 

 

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Babu Shenoy, Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 30 2024

    ನಮ್ಮ ತೆರಿಗೆಯ ಹಣ, ನಮ್ಮ ಹಕ್ಕು. ನಿಮ್ಮ ದಾನ ಬೇಕಿಲ್ಲ.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanjay Shenoy, Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 30 2024

    PM cant Hug CM due to stomach problem guys.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Don, Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 30 2024

    When our PM goes abroad he always greets foreign leaders with a bear hug, and gets complex business deals agreed and done. But I've never seen our beloved PM hug any of his fellow Indian leaders (except Rahul who hugged him in parliament). So next time our CM goes to meet PM first hug him, and then ask for a deal.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shammi, Karnataka

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    Modiji, Atleast from now on treat all states irrespective of if whichever party rules equally. First u should follow your mantraEK HAI TOH SAFE HAI. Then treat all states same manner. Why only UP and gujrath getting so many funds? South states gives more tax and in return recieves less. Recently I saw this one of the article.TN pays highest followed by Karnataka,Ap ,telangana,kerala and Goa

    DisAgree [8] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • KS Mayya, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    Dear Damodar Das, Kundapur, Your comments directly imply that Karnataka voters smarting by voting for BJP in Center and Congress in Karnataka and vice versa is for a losing cause; Karnataka voters have a history of doing precisely that. I kind of agree because Andhra and TN vote like that and the get what they want. We need a regional party that addresses the needs of Kannadigas. Congress never did, BJP never can. Yes, we get IIT Dharwad because Joshis can speak Hindi. No, the Gowda family also cannot represent Karnataka.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Damodar Das, Kundapur

    Sat, Nov 30 2024

    FYI, get off your false illusion that people are voting for BJP in state in India anymore. BJP has zero people’s mandate. It’s EVM Ventilator support BJP is surviving. In the centre BJP govt is already limping with 2 crutches of JD(D) and TDP on either side. Whereas in Karnataka congress is making progress in leaps and bounds at every election. It’s only a matter of time BJP will fall flat on its nose after its limping period. PS: Soon there will be mass exodus of MPs and MLAs from BJP to congress. At that time it doesn’t matter if EMVs are used are not.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Damodar Das, Kundapur

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    This is gross violation of constitutional law by centre. How centre releases funds immediately to non BJP states when court case is filed against it??????…..BJP in the centre is giving funds for its destructive developments and depriving funds for constructive development in the country.

    DisAgree [20] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • H. Almeida., Bendur/Andheri.

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    " Freebies " have evaporated cash reserves in Karnataka.. The state has become bankrupt, even funds reserved for disabled citizens have been slashed to cover up for " Khatakat " guarantees....

    DisAgree [19] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Damodar Das, Kundapur

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    But your ministers claim congress won elections by money power. So, then from where does this money come from???????…. FYI, development done by Sidda is seen and verifiable if you are not blind. Also there is exodus of people from BJP ruled states into non BJP ruled states for jobs, development and better life and more funds flow in from MNCs and FDIs compared to your corrupt, under developed and never developing BJP states.

    DisAgree [12] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • prakash, Mulki/Kulai

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    In what language Sri Siddaramayya speaks when he meets PM whether. English or Hindi

    DisAgree [7] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Langoolacharya., Belman / Washington, DC.

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    MA in Gujrati Science....Tak...Takk...

    DisAgree [9] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Damodar Das, Kundapur

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    Vishwaguru should sort out this issue, after all he is Vishwaguru and global leader as per Nagpur gazette. Surprising you still have doubts. Too much faking makes forget somethings.

    DisAgree [14] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Babu Shenoy, Mangalore

    Sat, Nov 30 2024

    When they meet, Siddu speaks in pretty good English and Modi speaks in sign language and in his own peculiar funny Modified Hinglees.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Raheja Waterfront

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    Karnataka will get 'BABAJI KA TULLU' ...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harish, Mangalore

    Fri, Nov 29 2024

    As a CM it is his right yo ask central for support . But I will see lots of un wanted comments now .

    DisAgree [6] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse


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