K'taka Home Minister Parameshwara says his statement was misunderstood, no dearth of funds in state
Bengaluru, Jun 24 (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday clarified that there is no shortage of funds in the state government for any reason, and that his earlier statement has been misunderstood.
The senior Congress leader was clarifying the statement he made on Monday while addressing a gathering at Badami in Bagalkote district, where he had said that the state government doesn't have money. His comments were picked up by the media, and the opposition BJP too used it to target the government, alleging that the financial condition of the state has deteriorated.
"I have not said like that, who said there is no money? I have defended the government, saying that we have presented a record budget....as someone said things jokingly during the speech, I reacted in a similar fashion, that's all," Parameshwara told reporters here on Tuesday, when questioned about his statement.
Reiterating that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has presented a Rs 4.09 lakh crore budget, he said, "I have said that there is no shortage of funds. Rs 22,000 crore has been allocated for irrigation in the budget. Allocations have been made for the five guarantee schemes in the budget, and instructions have been made to prepare an action plan for Rs 50 crore in every constituency. I said all of this in my address. When someone said something jokingly, I might have reacted."
"I'm now saying officially that there is no financial distress in our government. I'm saying it very clearly. Sometimes, there may be a delay in the release of funds, as DPR and estimates have to be prepared before releasing money. There may be some delay in that; other than that, there is nothing else. There is no shortage of funds in our government for any reason. I'm making it clear. If anyone has misunderstood my statement, I'm correcting that," he added.
The Home Minister while addressing a gathering in Badami on Monday had suggested local MLA Bheemasen B Chimmanakatti to prepare a Rs 1,000 crore project for the development of the Badami town, which is of historical and archaeological importance, and send it to the centre, as the state doesn't have money.
"Prepare the project (for Badami's development) and send it to the Centre, we don't have money, Siddaramaiah doesn't have money now. We have given you (people) in the form of rice, pulses, oil," he had said.
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40 Palestinians killed in Gaza as Netanyahu, Trump meet over ceasefire
Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Jul 9 (AP): At least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said Wednesday, as international mediators raced to complete a ceasefire deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a second meeting in two days with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday evening. Trump has been pushing for a ceasefire that might lead to an end to the 21-month war in Gaza. Israel and Hamas are considering a new US-backed ceasefire proposal that would pause the war, free Israeli hostages and send much-needed aid into Gaza.
Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis said the dead included included 17 women and 10 children. It said one strike killed 10 people from the same family, including three children.
The Israeli military did not comment on specific strikes, but said it had struck more than 100 targets across Gaza over the past day, including Hamas members, booby-trapped structures, weapons storage facilities, missile launchers and tunnels. Israel accuses Hamas of hiding weapons and fighters among civilians.
