Financial condition of Karnataka worsened due to ''guarantee schemes'': Ex-PM Deve Gowda
Bengaluru (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday alleged that the financial condition of Karnataka has worsened due to the 'five guarantee' schemes being implemented by the Congress government.
He also claimed that there is no money to deal with the severe flood situation in six districts of north Karnataka, including Kalaburagi.
The JD(S) patriarch said he would visit Kalaburagi and neighbouring flood-hit regions within a week to assess the ground situation. Maharashtra's release of water from its dams has led to flooding in the Bhima and Krishna rivers. Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Bidar and Yadgir are among the worst-affected districts.
Apart from crop loss, many houses have been damaged and there has been loss of human lives as well as livestock.
Gowda also said he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek compensation for the flood-affected people.
"The financial condition of the state has worsened due to 'guarantees'. It’s not me who is saying this, but the Congress MLAs,” the former PM said at a press conference.
Pointing to disarray within the ruling party, the 92-year-old JD(S) supremo remarked, "They (Congress MLAs) say there is no money even to deal with such a severe flood situation".
The five pre-poll guarantees are Gruha Jyothi, offering 200 units of electricity free to every household; Gruha Lakshmi, providing Rs 2,000 to every woman head of a family; Anna Bhagya, assuring 10 kg rice to each member of a BPL family every month; Yuva Nidhi, promising Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 to unemployed diploma holders (aged 18-25) for two years; and Shakti, which allows women in Karnataka free travel on government-run non-luxury buses.
"More than 50 people have lost their lives, and there is a huge loss to livestock. Crops have been completely damaged. Roads, bridges and houses have been destroyed," Gowda said.
"I will visit Kalaburagi to see the ground reality. After visiting there, I will give my view about what the government has done," he said.
Pointing out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas and reviewed the crop damage, Gowda appealed to district in-charge ministers and officials to visit the spot and understand the woes of people.
On the BJP-JD(S) coalition, Gowda clarified that the alliance would continue.
"There is no need to worry about the alliance. It will continue even for Panchayat and Assembly elections,” he said.
Emphasising his cordial ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gowda said, "My relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never change. Show me one instance where I have spoken ill of him in the last 10 years".
The former prime minister also said he has set a target of winning at least 50 to 60 seats in the upcoming Bengaluru Municipal Corporation elections, and would soon hold a meeting in this regard.
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.
West Asia: India supplied 22,000 MT of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March, says MEA
New Delhi (PTI): Amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, India has supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March and has received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements, the MEA said on Friday.
At his weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his response to a query related to requests received from India's neighbouring countries for fuel amid the West Asia situation, also said that India is "finalising a government-to-government agreement" for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security of Mauritius.
The conflict in West Asia has now stretched to nearly 50 days, with global ramifications.
"So, we have received requests from our neighbouring countries for supply of fuel, and these are being looked into, keeping in mind our own requirements, availability and refining capacity," Jaiswal told reporters.
He further said India has "supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March 2026, and further supplies have continued this month as well".
"You would recall that last month we had supplied 38 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka as well," he added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius last week, the MEA spokesperson said, adding, "We are finalising a government-to-government agreement for supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing the energy security of Mauritius".
As far as Nepal is concerned, there is an existing arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation and Nepal Oil Corporation to supply petroleum products to Nepal as per its requirements. The supplies are continuing without any interruption, he said.
Energy supplies to Bhutan also continue according to the existing arrangement.
"As I had mentioned earlier, we have received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements. We continue to be in touch with them in this regard, and are considering the request keeping in mind our own domestic requirements and availability of fuel.
"I would also like to add that our neighbouring country governments have expressed appreciation for the uninterrupted supply, fuel supply to them during the West Asian conflict," Jaiswal said.
Global oil and gas prices surged after Iran restricted the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG trade.
_vb_59.jpeg)
