Karnataka seeks Rs 2,000 crore aid from Centre for flood victims
Bengaluru, Aug 25 : Karnataka on Friday sought Rs 2,000 crore interim relief from the central government for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in the southern state's Kodagu district.
"I appeal to you to release an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore to enable the state government rehabilitate Kodagu's flood-hit victims," said state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
The Chief Minister's office released the letter to the media on Friday night.
As per initial estimates, the huge loss caused by heavy rains, floods and landslides to the infrastructure, public property and crops is feared to be Rs 3,000 crore.
The letter also highlighted the large-scale destruction the natural calamity caused to crops, coffee plantations, spices and arecanut (beetle nuts) across the hilly district, about 270 km southwest of Bengaluru.
Thanking Modi for enquiring about the situation in Kodagu on August 19 and providing help in the rescue operations through the Indian Army, Navy and air force, the chief minister said the landslides changed the geomorphology and river course in the region.
"As the arterial roads connecting Kodagu have been battered, relief operations and the movement of essentials like food, drinking water and medicines were hampered," recalled Kumaraswamy.
The torrential rains, landslips and floods during the southwest monsoon from August 14-22, claimed 17 lives and damaged over 2,200 houses.
"Undeterred by the devastation, the state machinery and the district administration rescued over 4,500 people and provided shelter to 7,500 people in 53 relief camps, served 50,000 food packets and supplied rice, oil, pulses, salt and sugar," added the letter.
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By-election result not a mandate for the government: Basavaraja Bommai
Bengaluru: The results of the by-elections in three constituencies do not represent a mandate for the state government, said MP Basavaraja Bommai, adding that ruling party MLAs are dissatisfied with the lack of development in the state.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office on Tuesday, he stated that by-elections typically favor the ruling government. "When we were in power, we won 13 out of 17 by-elections. The Congress should not assume that this is a verdict in their favor," he remarked.
Bommai emphasized that these results are confined to the constituencies where the by-elections were held. He also accused the state government of poorly implementing its guarantee schemes without adequate financial preparation, claiming that the schemes are being halted due to financial strain.
He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government has borrowed over ₹1 lakh crore, leading to difficulties in financial management. Bommai pointed out that the state government is yet to release over ₹2,000 crore to local bodies, including village panchayats, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
"Anganwadi workers and contract workers are not receiving their salaries, and contractors are refusing to take up work due to non-release of funds, even after tenders have been floated," he added.
Responding to questions about internal dissent within the BJP, Bommai denied any significant issues, stating, "There is no dissent in the BJP. Everyone is committed to the party. There may be differing opinions on some matters, but I am confident that everything will be resolved within a month." He also noted that a motivated BJP team is actively working for the party.
