CM Siddaramaiah blames Centre for urea shortage, says Karnataka steering ahead despite constraints
Bengaluru, Jul 30 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the Centre of "reducing the state’s urea allocation", leading to a shortage at a time when sowing activity is in full swing following good rainfall.
He said the state has received favourable rains this season and that sowing activity has picked up significantly. However, he claimed the reduced supply of urea has led to a shortage, affecting farmers during this crucial period.
During a review meeting with district in-charge ministers, cabinet colleagues, and legislators on governance and development issues, the chief minister’s office shared these observations.
Against the requirement of 11.17 lakh metric tonnes (MT) between April and July, only 5.17 lakh MT has been supplied, resulting in a shortfall of 1.66 lakh MT, he said.
"The allocation was curtailed despite an increase in hybrid jowar sowing by two lakh hectares this year. Despite the Centre's non-cooperation, our farmers should not face any hardship," he claimed.
Calling the BJP’s protests over the issue "politically motivated" and "shameful", Siddaramaiah urged legislators to clarify the situation to their constituents.
He also blamed the previous BJP government for what he termed as "financial mismanagement", and alleged that works worth Rs 2.70 lakh crore were undertaken without budgetary allocation, including Rs 1.66 lakh crore under the then chief minister’s discretionary quota, leaving behind unpaid bills of over Rs 72,000 crore.
The CM claimed that Karnataka’s share of central taxes had been reduced by 23 per cent under the 15th Finance Commission, resulting in a loss of over Rs 68,000 crore in the last five years.
Despite such losses, the state continues to spend Rs 52,000 crore annually on guarantee schemes and Rs 1.12 lakh crore on social pensions, subsidies, and other beneficiary-oriented programmes, he added.
Implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations has increased the state's salary and pension bill to Rs 1.24 lakh crore this year, he said, adding that Rs 83,200 crore is being invested in capital expenditure—20.03 per cent of the state budget—one of the highest in the country. An additional Rs 45,600 crore is being spent on debt servicing, he added.
Referring to central data, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka now ranks first in the country in per capita income at constant prices, at Rs 2,04,605 for 2024-25.
Citing studies, he said the ‘Shakti’ scheme has contributed to a 23 per cent rise in women’s employment in Bengaluru and 21 per cent in Dharwad. "These are encouraging indicators," he said.
"Despite the Centre’s non-cooperation and the financial mess left by the previous government, we are steering the administration in a better direction," he claimed.
Siddaramaiah also emphasised the need for effective implementation of budgetary promises and directed ministers and legislators to actively participate in Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meetings.
"These meetings must be used to address people’s grievances, technical hurdles in project implementation, bureaucratic delays, and negligence," he added.
Highlighting Karnataka’s economic progress, he urged MLAs to inform voters that the state’s five guarantee schemes (Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi) were key contributors to the improvement in per capita income.
"This is a matter of pride for the state," he added.
He thanked legislators for their cooperation and announced a special grant of Rs 50 crore for developmental works, calling for its optimal and transparent utilisation.
The meeting also reviewed district-wise development activities, agricultural progress, and the utilisation of released funds, with officials instructed to expedite project execution with clear deadlines.
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VHP slams Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge for 'money laundering' comment on RSS
Nagpur (PTI): The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Monday slammed Karnataka Congress minister Priyank Kharge for linking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to money laundering and asserted such statements were part of a strategy to insult patriotic organisations and defame patriots.
Kharge, while speaking at an event in Bengaluru on Sunday, cited the RSS' "network of more than 2,500 organisations, they are from America, England" to allege "these people are into money laundering".
Addressing a press conference here, VHP national organisational secretary Milind Parande said such statements will reduce the acceptance in society of those making them.
"They are trying to increase their credibility and trying to indulge in appeasement (with such remarks), both of which will not succeed. There are many forces and persons in India who have a problem with the awakening of Hindutva. They are coming up with such nonsense. Using such words and insulting patriotic organisations shows their intellectual bankruptcy," he said.
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"It will reduce their acceptance in society. What he (Kharge) said is absolutely false and even they know it. But they do it as a strategy to defame patriots. The people of Karnataka must think whether such people should be brought back to power. Hence, the VHP always asserts those who believe in the interests of Hindus must be in power at the Centre and in the states," Parande added.
Asked about the BNP winning polls in Bangladesh and whether it will improve the conditions of the Hindus there, Parande said it is expected that the community is protected irrespective of who is in power. So far, people there have been incapable of protecting Hindus, he said in reference to attacks on the community since the Sheikh Hasina government fell following an uprising in August 2024.
Asserting that most of the violence has been sponsored by political parties, Parande said, "The Hindu community is in a very dangerous situation in Bangladesh."
He also refused to comment on the face-off between the Uttar Pradesh government and Swami Avimukteshwaranand during Magh Mela festivities in Prayagraj. A controversy erupted on Mauni Amavasya morning at the Sangam Nose when police, citing heavy crowd pressure, allegedly stopped the seer from proceeding to the Sangam in a palanquin along with a large number of supporters.
The VHP as a practice does not give a statement on disputes between saints as it would not be appropriate, Parande said.
Without taking the name of Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, the VHP leader said it was surprising anyone from the state can make such a remark about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Congress leader has courted controversy by equating 18th Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan with the founder of the Maratha Empire.
On some persons sprinkling cow urine to purify a temple in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar following the visit of Muslim Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar in Sillod on Mahashivratri on Sunday, Parande said places of worship must be visited by those who have faith.
Without genuine sentiment, it becomes a mere political stunt, he said.
"Religion should never be exploited for political gain, as that insults faith," Parande said while not commenting on the 'purification' episode linked to the incident.
