KPCC demands Rs 1,000 crore for drought relief in 21 districts

KPCC president G Parameshwara has demanded that the government should immediately release Rs 1,000 crore for providing relief to 21 drought-hit districts.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, the Congress leader alleged that the BJP government had shown no seriousness in addressing the drought situation, as it was embroiled in infighting.

Parameshwara said that repeated pleas by the Congress to the government to provide relief, drinking water and fodder in the drought-hit taluks had gone in vain.

He said that the government had released only Rs 101 crore till date, and that this was insufficient. Parameshwara demanded that district-in-charge ministers visit their districts mandatorily and hold meetings with the district administrations. “The government should also constitute a task force with officials, ministers and opposition members in it, so that timely review meetings can be held to tackle the drought in the State,” he added.

New beginning

Parameshwara said he was confident of his party’s performance in the coming Udupi-Chikmagalur bypolls. “Shivaratri has just gone by. We are hopeful of a new beginning.”

‘I am the boss’

Parameshwara said that he had not been sidelined by the four Union ministers S M Krishna, Mallikarjun Kharge, Veerappa Moily and K H Muniyappa, who have been given the charge of their respective divisions in the State.

On Sunday, Parameshwara was not part of either of the meetings convened by Krishna and Muniyappa in Bangalore.

“Nobody can tell me not to attend the party meetings – nobody can bar me. It was I who organised Sunday’s meeting and since it was a preliminary meeting, I stayed away from it. I will be part of the meetings to be held in future. Further, the mandate given to the Union ministers is to head the revenue divisions and ensure the implementation of the Central schemes. They are not to interfere in the functioning of the party or organisational matters. There will be no overlapping of the mandates set either by me as KPCC chief or the CLP,” he added.