<div>BJP State president Pralhad Joshi criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for blaming the Central government for his failure to tackle the drought situation.<br /><br />He was in the city to campaign for BJP MLC local body candidate R Raghu on Monday. Addressing media persons, he said the State government had failed to utilise the funds released by the Centre to support drought-hit people. The Centre has released Rs 360 crore to Karnataka, the highest beneficiary. But the State government has spent only Rs 39 crore, he said.<br /><br />“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been accusing the Centre of not releasing funds to tackle the drought situation in the State. But Revenue Minister Srinivas Prasad has admitted that the Centre has sanctioned Rs 360 crore. Who is telling the truth?” he asked.<br /><br />The State government had sought Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre as drought relief and the Union government has already sanctioned Rs 1,540 crore.<br /><br /> Even then, the State has failed to take up relief measures effectively. “It is the State’s responsibility to get funds by submitting utilisation certificates. However, I have spoken to Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh to help the State,” he said.<br /><br />Rs 8,000 crore loss<br />He said Siddaramaiah had failed to manage the Finance department. The State has incurred a loss of Rs 8,000 crore due to improper tax collection. <br /><br />The maximum limit for availing loans against the Gross Domestic Product Index is 25 per cent, and the State has already reached 24.57 per cent, which is a warning.<br /><br />Non-payment of salary for assistant professors, construction contractors and cheque bounce cases are classic examples of the failure of the State, he pointed out. Joshi opposed Siddaramaiah’s appeal to MLC local body election voters to cast a single vote in the polls. <br /><br />“The CM is afraid of a defeat,” he said. The State should not suffer due to the chief minister’s inefficiency. The Congress high command has been reduced to ‘low command’. The high command’s situation is like the ‘tail wagging the dog’, he said.<br /><br /></div>
<div>BJP State president Pralhad Joshi criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for blaming the Central government for his failure to tackle the drought situation.<br /><br />He was in the city to campaign for BJP MLC local body candidate R Raghu on Monday. Addressing media persons, he said the State government had failed to utilise the funds released by the Centre to support drought-hit people. The Centre has released Rs 360 crore to Karnataka, the highest beneficiary. But the State government has spent only Rs 39 crore, he said.<br /><br />“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been accusing the Centre of not releasing funds to tackle the drought situation in the State. But Revenue Minister Srinivas Prasad has admitted that the Centre has sanctioned Rs 360 crore. Who is telling the truth?” he asked.<br /><br />The State government had sought Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre as drought relief and the Union government has already sanctioned Rs 1,540 crore.<br /><br /> Even then, the State has failed to take up relief measures effectively. “It is the State’s responsibility to get funds by submitting utilisation certificates. However, I have spoken to Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh to help the State,” he said.<br /><br />Rs 8,000 crore loss<br />He said Siddaramaiah had failed to manage the Finance department. The State has incurred a loss of Rs 8,000 crore due to improper tax collection. <br /><br />The maximum limit for availing loans against the Gross Domestic Product Index is 25 per cent, and the State has already reached 24.57 per cent, which is a warning.<br /><br />Non-payment of salary for assistant professors, construction contractors and cheque bounce cases are classic examples of the failure of the State, he pointed out. Joshi opposed Siddaramaiah’s appeal to MLC local body election voters to cast a single vote in the polls. <br /><br />“The CM is afraid of a defeat,” he said. The State should not suffer due to the chief minister’s inefficiency. The Congress high command has been reduced to ‘low command’. The high command’s situation is like the ‘tail wagging the dog’, he said.<br /><br /></div>
