Around Rs 3,400 crore released to Karnataka for drought management: Centre to SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that around Rs 3,400 crore has been released to the Karnataka government for drought management in the state.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by the Karnataka government seeking a direction to the Centre to release financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management.
"Some amount has already been released," the bench asked Attorney General R Venkataramani, who was appearing for the Centre.
The top law officer said around Rs 3,400 crore has been released.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Karnataka, said Rs 3,450 crore has been released but the state's request was for assistance of Rs 18,000 crore.
He said an inspection was done by a inter-ministerial team which sent a report to a sub-committee.
ALSO READ: Central Government announces drought relief: Karnataka receives ₹3,454 Crore
Referring to a chart annexed in the state's petition, he said it relates to the claims made in accordance with the policy of the Centre.
Sibal said the amount sought for gratuitous relief to families whose livelihood is seriously affected due to drought was Rs 12,577 crore.
"The problem is, according to us, this particular claim has not even been addressed and this is part of the policy of the Government of India under the National Disaster Management Act," Sibal said.
"We are grateful for the amount which has been given. There is no issue on that," he said.
Sibal said there was an inter-ministerial team which went to the state and looked at all these factors and gave a report to the sub-committee, which in turn then send it to the appropriate authority to take a decision.
"That inter-ministerial report is not with us," he said, adding, "So my request to your lordships is that ask them to place that report before your lordships and in accordance with that, whatever is decided, we have no problem".
Venkataramani said whatever the inter-ministerial team recommended, the sub-committee took that into account.
When the bench asked about the recommendations, the top law officer said, "I wish to say the recommendations have been acted upon".
The bench asked him to place the recommendation of the inter-ministerial team.
"I will place a note," he said.
The bench posted the matter for hearing on April 6.
On April 22, the Centre had told the top court that the Election Commission had given clearance to it to deal with the issue raised by Karnataka regarding financial assistance for drought management.
"This should all be done amicably…we are having a federal structure," the bench had observed.
The petition has sought to declare that the Centre's action in not releasing the financial assistance for drought arrangement as per the NDRF is "ex-facie violative" of the fundamental rights of the people of the state guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
It said the state is reeling under "severe drought", affecting the lives of its people and for the Kharif 2023 season, which starts in June and ends in September, a total of 223 out of 236 taluks are declared as drought-affected.
The plea said 196 taluks are categorised as severely affected and the remaining 27 as moderately affected.
"Cumulatively for kharif 2023 season, the agriculture and horticulture crop loss have been reported in more than 48 lakh hectares with the estimated loss (cost of cultivation) of Rs 35,162 crore," the plea, filed through advocate D L Chidananda, said.
It said the assistance sought from the Centre under the NDRF is Rs 18,171.44 crore.
It said the state is constrained to move the apex court against the "arbitrary actions" of the Centre in denying the financial assistance for drought management to Karnataka under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the manual for drought management updated in 2020.
"Further, the impugned action of the Central Government is violative of statutory scheme of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the manual for drought management and the guidelines on constitution and administration of the State Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Response Fund," the plea said.
It said under the manual for drought management, the Centre is required to take a final decision on the assistance to the state from the NDRF within a month of the receipt of the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT).
"Despite the IMCT report, which visited various drought affected districts from October 4 to 9, 2023 and made a comprehensive assessment of drought situation in the state and consideration of the said report by the sub-committee of the National Executive Committee constituted under section 9 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, Centre has not taken a final decision on the assistance to the state from the NDRF even after a lapse of almost six months from the date of the said report," the plea said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Will Prajwal Revanna return to Bengaluru tonight?
Speculation arises after Munich-Bengaluru ticket surfaces
Bengaluru: Amidst mounting anticipation, Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, entangled in the Karnataka sex tapes controversy, might be making his way back to Bengaluru. NDTV has obtained a Munich-Bengaluru ticket for a Lufthansa Airlines flight, scheduled to land at 12:30 am tomorrow, bearing Revanna's name as a business class passenger.
The ticket, reportedly booked concurrently with Revanna's departure to Germany, predates the filing of an FIR against the 33-year-old MP. Reacting to the allegations, Revanna had communicated through social media on May 1 and had said, "As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to C.I.D Bangalore through my Advocate. Truth will prevail soon."
Nevertheless, several instances of tickets purportedly booked in Revanna's name have surfaced in recent weeks, all turning out to be false alarms. In response, the Karnataka police's Special Investigation Team (SIT), overseeing the high-profile case, has advised airport authorities to remain vigilant. A lookout notice and a Blue Corner notice have been issued to locate Revanna.
The scandal erupted when numerous explicit videos, allegedly featuring Prajwal Revanna, emerged last month, just ahead of the elections. Consequently, an SIT was formed to probe the case, resulting in Revanna's suspension from the JDS party. He faces a slew of charges, including rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation.
His father, JDS legislator HD Revanna, was arrested in connection with one of these cases but is currently out on bail. HD Revanna faces a kidnapping charge, triggered by allegations of his involvement in the abduction of a woman who had been employed as a house help at their residence. Allegations of a leaked video purportedly showing Prajwal Revanna engaging in sexual abuse have further complicated matters.
The sex tapes scandal has escalated into a big political issue, with the JDS claiming conspiracy and the Congress seizing the opportunity to target the BJP, which has formed an alliance with the JDS for the Lok Sabha elections. JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy insinuated that powerful forces were behind the leak, hinting at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
In response, Shivakumar asserted his non-involvement, stating, "I am neither director nor producer. I am only an exhibitor, theater exhibitor." On Kumaraswamy's allegations that HD Revanna was arrested to defame Deve Gowda, Shivakumar had said, "Not at all. See, I too feel sorry for him (Revanna). I, too, feel that such things should not happen. It's such a big family. Let them think whatever they want but I don't wish anything bad for anyone and I don't need it."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has weighed in, advocating zero tolerance for individuals like Prajwal Revanna and blaming the Congress-led Karnataka government for permitting the JDS MP to leave the country.
