Probe into Krishi Bhagya scheme 'vindictive': Congress
Bengaluru: The Congress in Karnataka on Sunday termed as "vindictive politics" the probe ordered by the state government into the alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 921 crore in the Krishi Bhagya scheme, when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had recently ordered the inquiry into the works carried out in the fiscal 2014-15 and 2017-18, chief secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar told PTI.
According to official sources, as many as 2,15,130 tanks were constructed in 131 taluks of the state at an expenditure of Rs 921 crore.
The objective of Krishi Bhagya scheme project was to sustain agriculture round the year in the arid zones of the state and ensure regular income to the cultivators.
However, the state government has doubts over the money spent on this project, and suspects that it was siphoned off, the sources said.
The inquiry has irked the Congress, which called it "vindictive politics."
"The entire governing culture of BJP is based on vindictiveness and digging the past and conducting the so-called inquiry," Congress spokesperson K E Radhakrishna told PTI.
Noting that there was nothing wrong in conducting inquiry if some serious lapses have taken place, the Congress leader cast doubts over the intentions behind ordering the investigation.
"They (BJP) don't have any alternative programme to offer, so they indulge in so-called inquiry activities," Radhakrishna alleged.
He claimed that all the programmes launched by Siddaramaiah such as Anna Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya and Ksheera Bhagya to the extent of almost 80 per cent have reached the beneficiaries.
"The BJP wants to stall all those (programmes) because they are running a morally bankrupt government," he said.
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TN CM Vijay calls fuel price hike ‘unacceptable’, seeks rollback
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday slammed the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices, calling it "unacceptable", and demanded its immediate rollback, claiming the revision would affect various sections of society.
He said oil marketing companies do not reduce prices in line with global crude price trends and "take the profits".
"Union government oil marketing companies have increased the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. This is not acceptable," Vijay said in a statement.
The hike has been effected after the "five-state polls" (four states and one union territory), he added.
This price rise will largely affect the income of the poor and middle class using two-wheelers and small vehicles, as well as others dependent on vehicles for their livelihood, the CM said.
It will ultimately result in an increase in the prices of daily commodities and also "affect the purchasing power of the poor," he added.
Citing the chain effect of the price revision, such as increased input costs for small units, he said it could lead to a "slowdown" in the market and exports.
"Therefore, I urge the union government to immediately roll back the price hike that will affect the poor and middle-class people and SMEs," Vijay added.
Global crude oil prices have surged more than 50 per cent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, which disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments.
Petrol and diesel prices are now at their highest level since May 2022.
