Give account for central funds released to State: Cong

The District Congress Committee (DCC) staged a protest demanding the account for the central funds released to the State, here in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday.

Addressing protesters, KPCC Secretary Ivan D’Souza said that the Congress has launched a state-wide agitation—”Furnish accounts for Rs 80,000 crore Central funds,” to demand the Bharatiya Janata Party government to explain how it spent the money released by the Centre.

He said that the State received funds for implementing the Union government’s programmes, including the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Indira Awas Yojana. The Centre fully pays for Pradhan Manthri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), MGNREGS, Integrated child development programmes. The Centre provides 90 per cent of fund for implementing irrigation project, 50 per cent for implementing rural drinking water schemes, 90 per cent for implementing Rajiv Gandhi National Rural Electrification Scheme, 60 per cent for total sanitation, 85 per cent for National Rural Health Mission. However, the BJP government has been claiming the credit for the programmes initiated by the Centre, he said and demanded the State government to issue a white paper on the account of the funds released by the Centre.

He alleged that there were irregularities in implementing welfare programmes. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has asked the KPCC to start a people’s agitation seeking accounts from the BJP government for the money released by the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre since 2008, he said.

Former MP Vinay Kumar Sorake said that in a federal system, the Centre and the State should work in coordination. The Centre releases majority of the funds to the State government to implement various welfare programmes.

He accused the BJP for collecting commission from all the government offices, including the taluk office. “Demanding account on the expenditure of the State government is the right of an opposition party in a democratic system,” he said and demanded account for the increase in the wealth of Minister C T Ravi, over the years.

DCC President Ramanath Rai said the BJP’s rule should come to an end, for the people to live in peace and harmony. He accused H D Kumaraswamy for helping the BJP to flourish in the State, by forming coalition government, and threby getting sympathy for the BJP.

Former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty, former Rajya Sabha member Ibrahim, Zilla Panchayat member Mamatha Gatti, and others were present.

In Udupi

The Udupi district Congress Committee too staged a protest and demanded white paper by state government on Rs 80000 crore released by the central government for undertaking various development programmes in State.

Forwarding the memorandum to the Chief Minister through DC Dr M T Reju, former district Congress president M A Gafoor said the demand is a part of the “Give Account” campaign launched by the Congress. He alleged that the four and half years governance of BJP has witnessed the downfall of all moralities and besides it has seen three chief ministers in this short term. BJP has not given anything other than despotic rule and corruptions to the people of the State. He said it has also failed to assure the benefits of development programmes that have been initiated and supported by the central government. The State government has stopped offering the benefits of the programmes like old age pension schemes, he added.