Congress says Karnataka govt’s flood relief insufficient

BENGALURU: Close on the heels of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai holding a meeting with deputy commissioners and district in-charge ministers of rain affected areas on Saturday, Congress is slamming the government, saying the funds allocated for relief works are not adequate.Bommai announced Rs 200 crore additional grants to 21 districts, besides advising the DCs to use the amount in their personal deposit accounts to take up the needed works.

“There is no shortage of funds to take up relief and rehabilitation works. Apart from Rs 200 crore, the DCs can also utilise Rs 657 crore available in their accounts to disburse the compensation,” he said.But KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre said that among the 21 districts that were identified for Rs 200 crore relief, Bidar and Kalaburagi in the Kalyana-Karnataka region were left out.In a series of tweets, he alleged that the government is meting out a step-motherly treatment to the region, though farmers are in distress with their crops destroyed due to heavy rain.

Replying to him, Bommai clarified that the additional grants were allotted based on the amount available in the DCs’ PD accounts. “As on Aug.2, there is Rs 20.45 Crore, Rs 42.07 Crore and Rs 25.14 Crore available with the Bidar, Kalaburagi and Yadgir DCs’ accounts respectively,” he tweeted. There is no favouritism in disbursal of funds and they are being released regularly based on the need, he added.

KPCC campaign committee chairman MB Patil too tweeted criticising the government, saying Vijayapura district has been let down by the government. “For the Vijayapura district, the government is dead and our district has become an orphan. What is the district in charge minister doing? Zero contribution even in terms of development! If the government is alive for the district, is there any answer to this,” he tweeted.

Bommai again clarified saying there is Rs 28.5 crore available in the Vijayapura deputy commissioner’s account which is more than that of any of the 21 districts that are part of the Rs 200 crore package. Evidently, Congress is making floods an issue ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls. “The mismanagement of floods is also one of the issues we are going to raise,” confirmed KPCC manifesto committee chairman Dr G Parameshwara. Congress is keenly watching the aid coming from the Centre after the state’s proposal, which will be sent in a week after assessing the damage due to rain. “Last year, the Centre had not treated the state’s request fairly, as compared to other neighbouring states. If it repeats again, we are going to make it an issue,” a Congress leader said.