State not using drought relief funds: BSY

Former chief minister and BJP MP from Shivamogga B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday demanded the Centre to give direction to the Karnataka government for proper utilisation of funds released by the Union government for taking up relief works in drought-hit areas.

Participating in the short duration discussion on drought situation in the country in Lok Sabha, Yeddyurappa said that the Centre recently sanctioned over Rs 1,500 crore and released over Rs 567 crore to the State under the National Calamity and Disaster Relief Funds, but the Karnataka government spent just Rs 166 crore for drought relief works.

Karnataka this year witnessed severe drought in the last 60 years and total 125 taluks have been declared as drought- hit. Despite the agrarian crisis in the State, the ruling Congress government had not taken any steps to mitigate the situation, he alleged.

Yeddyurappa said that for the first time in the recent history, the Centre had sanctioned over Rs 1,500 crore for drought relief works in one year while the previous UPA government used to sanction just Rs 500 crore per year. In 2015-16, so far about 846 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka while the State government had given compensation only to 280 families - of Rs two lakh each.

Under the 14th Finance Commission, Karnataka will receive Rs. 2.03 lakh crore against Rs.74,375 core under 13th Finance Commission.  Every month Rs 1,770 crore is being transferred online to State’s treasury by the Centre without any reminder.