Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa to meet PM Modi after Sept 12 to seek funds for flood relief

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after September 12 seeking more assistance from the Centre as flood relief.

“The financial position of the state and the centre is not satisfactory on account of Covid-19 pandemic. However, I am trying to get funds evern under this critical condition. I have discussed with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about Karnataka’s share of Rs 13,000 crore in the GST. The GST council meeting scheduled for August 27 will take a decision in this regard,” Yediyurappa said.

He was speaking to reporters after offering bagina to River Krishna at Almatti dam in Vijayapura district on Tuesday.

Yediyurappa said that financial assistance would also be sought for increasing the height of Almatti reservoir from the present 519 meter to 524.25 meter and for completing all the pending Upper Krishna Project works. “If necessary, we will borrow money for utilising the state’s share of Krishna waters as determined by the Krishna Tribunal,” he said.

The chief minister also conducted an aerial survey of the areas affected by floods in Belagavi and Bagalkot districts. Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi accompanied him.

Meanwhile, the chief minister had to face the wrath of farmers protesting against the amendments brought to the Land Reforms Act.

The farmers had been staging a protest at the entrance of the Sambra airport in Belagavi since morning. The police had allowed a few of them inside to enable the protesters submit a memorandum. However, the chief minister did not receive the memorandum. The enraged protesters raised slogans against the chief minister.

Later, the farmers attempted to intercept the vehicles in which ministers Jagadish Shettar and Srimanth Patil were travelling. The police foiled their attempt.

The workers of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene attempted to submit a memorandum to the chief minister at Almatti reservoir also.