JOIN USCong, JD(S) off delegation
The Opposition Congress and the JD (S) have kept off the delegation led by the Chief Minister to Delhi, on the grounds that the State should utilise Rs 1,000 crore already sanctioned by the Centre for relief works.
The Chief Minister had no choice but to proceed to Delhi. He is joined by his Cabinet colleagues Karunakara Reddy, Shobha Karandlaje, V S Acharya, C M Udasi and Basavaraj Bommai. The delegation is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister at 5 pm. Delegation will also meet the Union Home and Finance Ministers. Lone Opposition member to join the team is M P Nadagouda of JD (U).
Reacting to the Opposition parties’ decision to keep off the meeting, the Chief Minister said that he was not leading the delegation as a BJP leader but as the Chief Minister.
“Till now the State has not received Rs 1,000 crore which was assured by the Prime Minister during his visit to Raichur. We will appeal him to release funds besides submitting the memorandum. The Prime Minister himself had asked us to submit a detailed report. We are just following his advice,” he said. The delegation is being taken out keeping the best interest of the State, hence the Opposition parties should not politicise the issue. “I have worked in the Opposition earlier. In those days I have always stood with the ruling party during times of crisis,” Yeddyurappa said.
Damages at Rs 20,000 cr
The 120-pages memorandum has graphically explained floods and its aftermath in North Karnataka. A good number of pictures have also been attested to highlight the plight of the flood victims. The State has put the damages and losses at Rs 20,000 crore. The State government has released about Rs 1,000 crore including the money sanctioned under the Calamity Relief Fund. The State has decided to relocate 226 villages which are prone to floods and take up house construction and repair on a priority basis, in flood affected villages.
Addressing the media, Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and V S Ugrappa said that their party kept itself off the delegation, as they did not see any point in meeting the Prime Minister at this juncture. The party was not opposed to the submission of the memorandum, but to leading of an all-party delegation. The State government should first concentrate on spending funds that have been already collected.
The Opposition parties alleged that though the Chief Minister had assured them of providing a copy of the memorandum, before leaving to New Delhi, it had not reached them.
JD (S) MLC Y S V Datta said that the JD(S) was not informed in detail about the purpose of taking the delegation. Need of the hour now was to attend to the requirements of flood victims. The government should inform the public about the utilisation of funds being collected so far.
However, Yeddyurappa argued that there was no need to give the memorandum to Opposition leaders. Copies would be distributed after submitting the same to the Prime Minister in Delhi.