K’taka: ‘Submission of memorandum in correct form will bring funds’

PTI, Feb 21, 2024, 8:24 AM IST

Karnataka former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai charged the state government of fooling the people of Karnataka by not submitting the memorandum in the prescribed format and blaming the central government for political purposes in regard to the grant for the Upper Bhadra project.

Taking strong objection to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s reply on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address in the Legislative Assembly here on Tuesday, he said the CM seems to be flattened over the editorials in newspapers praising the budget. “You are the CM of the State and have worked as the leader of the Opposition in the past. But taking the help of the newspaper editorials would indicate how helpless you have become.

The BJP leader also took strong objection to the CM’s allegation that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who got elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka had not released Rs 5495 crore recommended by the 15th Finance Commission and Rs 6300 crore for the Peripheral Ring Road work. He said Siddaramaiah had totally distorted the facts to suit his argument. It was true that the interim report of the 15th Finance Commission had recommended Rs 5495 crore but it was not in the final report.

“How it was not possible to demand when it was not in the final report? In regard to the Rs 6000 crore peripheral Ring Road scheme, the money was still there but the state government had yet to start the project. Even land acquisition was pending. The funds would be released once the project is started,” he added. To seek funds from the Centre, Bommai said the proposal must be in the proper format.

The Upper Bhadra project would get the national project status and the previous BJP government had given the required permission. Now also the money would come from the centre but they must go to bring it. It was not right to allege that the money has not come without following the proper procedure, he said. Since the Upper Bhadra project was new one the government must submit the proposal under N form. Unfortunately, the Congress leaders don’t know how to seek the funds from the central government, he added.

On this occasion, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar requested to give training on how to fill up the form to which Bommai said they would accompany them in the interest of the State provided they submitted the proposal in a proper format.

(With ANI inputs)