Apr 29, 2024 06:44 AM IST
The Centre on Saturday released ₹3,454 crore though the state govt had requested ₹18,171 crore as drought relief fund
Chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy CM DK Shivakumar along with their cabinet colleagues and Congress leaders staged a protest in the Vidhana Soudha premises on Sunday against the insufficient amount released by the Centre as drought relief.
Using ‘Chombu’ as a symbol to emphasise “emptiness and deception”, the leaders accused the Centre of ‘cheating’ Karnataka by not providing adequate relief to combat the severe drought being faced by the state.
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The state government has declared 226 out of 236 Taluks in Karnataka as drought-hit, with crop loss reported in 48 lakh (4.8 million) hectares of land. Siddaramaiah stated that despite requesting ₹18,171 crore for drought relief, the Centre only released ₹3,454 crore after the state approached the Supreme Court.
Siddaramaiah said: “Yesterday, the Central government released only ₹3,454 crore, which is less than one-fourth of our request. This is an injustice to the state, and we protest against this injustice.”
On Saturday, the Centre announced the release of ₹3,454 crore as drought relief to the state. This decision followed the Centre’s assurance to the Supreme Court, prompted by a petition filed by the Karnataka government seeking early release of drought relief.
Called the Centre’s decision as a “step-motherly” behaviour, Shivakumar highlighted the plight of people struggling to find work due to the prevailing drought and the lack of increase in the number of man-days under National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA). He emphasised that the Centre has not fulfilled its obligations in a federal structure.
He said: “The central government has again followed a “step-motherly” policy by releasing only ₹3,454 crore. People are struggling to get work due to prevailing drought. The number of man days under NREGA has not been increased… The Centre has not respected what it owes us in a federal structure.”
“Karnataka sought drought relief in September. Since then, more than ₹50,000 crore worth crop losses have been reported. Amid all this, we have given ₹2,000 crore as initial drought relief per farmer. Karnataka had to go to the Supreme Court to get drought relief, that to a pittance,” he added.
