Due to PM Modi, K'taka suffered as Rs 5,495 crore special grant not given to state: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, May 20: Newly sworn-in Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the state suffering a loss as its legitimate special grant of Rs 5,495 crore mentioned in the interim report of the 15th Finance Commission was not given to it.
Hours after taking oath as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said the previous BJP government too did nothing for the state to recover its due.
"In the interim report of the 15th Finance Commission, it was recommended that Karnataka should get a special grant of Rs 5,495 crore, which the BJP government in Karnataka did not take up. Was there any government which did more harm to the state?" Siddaramaiah told reporters.
"Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman removed it from the final report. And she is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka. Because of Narendra Modi, Karnataka suffered a loss," he charged.
"We are entitled legitimately to that interim relief of Rs 5,495 crore, which is not a small amount. It's our loss. The previous BJP government in Karnataka, 25 BJP MPs including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi did not ask the Centre," he alleged.
According to him, Karnataka's contribution to the central taxes is around Rs 4 lakh crore.
ALSO READ: Three-day Karnataka Assembly session from Monday: Siddaramaiah
The Finance Commission is a constitutional body formed by the President to give suggestions on centre-state financial relations, including criteria for grants, devolution of taxes, etc. The 15th Finance Commission was chaired by N K Singh and the recommendations of its report for the financial years 2021-26 period was tabled in Parliament in February 2021.
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Adequate LPG stock in Chhattisgarh, no need to panic, says CM Sai
Raipur (PTI): Amid reports of shortage of commercial LPG cylinder in several parts of the country due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday assured people that they need not worry about the availability of cooking gas in the state.
He asserted that adequate stock of LPG as well as petrol and diesel was available in the state.
Sai said in a statement that authorities have been directed to regularly monitor stock at gas agencies and keep a close watch on the supply chain. Necessary instructions were issued to officials in all districts to ensure a smooth supply of LPG.
The chief minister instructed officials to take strict action if any complaint of black marketing or hoarding of LPG cylinders is received.
Sai urged state residents not to pay attention to rumours and to book cooking gas cylinders as per their actual requirement.
The government was fully alert to ensure the availability of essential commodities to citizens, he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh Hotel and Restaurant Association has issued an advisory to hotels, restaurants, caterers and other food businesses across the state, urging them to maintain calm and avoid panic buying.
In the advisory, Taranjeet Singh Hora, president of the association, asked members to maintain coordination and immediately inform it about any major disruption in LPG supply.
He cautioned businesses against hoarding cylinders, saying such practices could worsen the situation for the entire hospitality sector.
The association advised hotels and restaurants to prioritise essential kitchen operations, core menu items and already committed banquet events.
Use electric cooking equipment wherever possible for emergency and staff kitchens such as induction cooktops, electric hot plates, electric rice cookers and kettles, the advisory stated.
