JOIN USYeddyurappa has ignored drought issue: Congress
Union law minister Veerappa Moily and former CM Dharam Singh were said to have criticised the State government on different issues. Singh was particularly severe on the decision of the chief minister to ignore drought and seek only flood relief.
The Gulbarga MP pointed out that several districts in North Karnataka were reeling under drought but the state government seemed to have been bothered only about flood. “The way the State government presented its case, the Centre will believe that there is no drought in Karnataka at all”, Singh told the breakfast meeting that the CM had convened on August 6. A couple of other North Karnataka MPs agreed with Singh.
The Karnataka government had sought Rs 318 crore for flood relief works, putting the losses at Rs 517 crore.
Yeddyurappa, responding to Singh, pointed out that a memorandum on drought would be presented to the Centre soon seeking relief.
Moily, referring to the attitude of the state government to come to the Centre for help in every sphere, said “this mindset should change”. The state should look at its own capability and achieve optimum both in terms of works done and in utilising the funds released by the Centre.
The government should think ahead and bring well-drafted proposals to be included in the Union budget or railway budget a year in advance. “There is no point in coming to Delhi with proposals just days before budgets are to be presented. Everyone knows that such proposals don’t make it to the budget”, Moily was said to have told the meeting.
The Union minister was of the opinion that memorandum to the Centre should be more professionally drafted.