Will resign if Kalyana Karnataka figures are false: CM BS Yediyurappa

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday said he would resign if the government’s figure on expenditure achieved in the backward Kalyana Karnataka region this fiscal was wrong.

He said this in the Legislative Assembly after legislators from the region questioned his claim that the government had spent Rs 693 crore in Kalyana Karnataka districts.

“For Kalyana Karnataka, the opening balance was Rs 308 crore and this year we have released Rs 544 crore, making it a total of Rs 852 crore. The expenditure achieved is Rs 692 crore,” Yediyurappa said.

However, Congress MLAs from the region cried foul, which angered Yediyurappa. “If this isn’t true, I will resign. I’m telling you this as the finance minister,” the CM bawled.

The backward Kalyana Karnataka region - Kalaburagi, Bidar, Ballari, Koppal, Raichur and Yadgir - enjoys special status under the Constitution (Article 371J).

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah lamented that the renaming of Hyderabad-Karnataka as Kalyana Karnataka was projected as a big achievement. “For 2020-21, an action plan worth Rs 1,132 crore has been approved and Rs 524 crore has been released. This year, not a single rupee will be spent,” he said.

Congress’ Bhalki MLA Eshwar Khandre said the action plan for Kalyana Karnataka should be approved in April or May. “But it was approved only in January. By the time the works are tendered, the financial year will be over. Works in Bengaluru are carried out, but Kalyana Karnataka is not on the government’s map,” he said.

Law Minister Basavaraj Bommai said no government in the past had ensured 100% expenditure against the budgeted amount for Kalyana Karnataka. “Now, things are falling in place.”

Yediyurappa assured the House that approval had been given for new works. “Please go ahead and get works done. I will take action against officers who come in the way,” he said.