Centre reluctant to release funds: Krishna Byre Gowda

Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Krishna Byre Gowda, on Wednesday, alleged that the Union government is not releasing the earmarked funds to the state and has kept pending crores of rupees since 2016.

Addressing reporters, here, he said that the state is suffering hardships as the Union government is reluctant to release the state’s share for various schemes.

Krishna said that the Centre is yet to release Rs 1,800 crore under MNREGS scheme since 2016. “In 2016, works worth Rs 2,175 crore were taken up. But, due to delay in releasing the funds by the Union government, the state made payments to the beneficiaries, with permission of the Union. But, the Centre is yet to release Rs 935 crore to the state in 2016,” he said.

Similarly, Rs 800 crore, wages and materials, of 2018, is pending with the Centre. The Union government has slowdown releasing of funds in the last one month, he informed.

As there is a shortage of funds under MNREGS, Zilla Panchayats Chief Executive Officers in the state are complaining of hardships in introducing programmes and to provide employment to the people. However, the state had a target to create 8.5 crore person days (PD). It may go up to 10.5 crore PDs. The state has achieved 90.66% progress in this regard. Works worth Rs 3,780 crore have been taken up and works worth Rs 2,920 has been completed, Krishna said.

He said, earlier, during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Union government’s share for drinking water projects was 75% while the state government’s share was 25%. After the BJP government came to power, the share was reduced to 60%. But, the Union government is not releasing the funds as per norms, he alleged.

As on March 2018, the Union government had to release Rs 95,000 crore, but, the state has received only Rs 80,000 crore, a total shortfall of Rs 15,000 crore. The Union Rural Development minister has assured of releasing the pending funds, he said.