Surjewala urges Centre to release drought relief to Karnataka

Congress General Secretary and Karnataka incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged the union government to immediately release Centre’s grants to the State including drought relief without any further delay.

He also questioned the “silence” of BJP MPs on the matter. In a statement here, he said the state government had declared 223 taluks among the total 236 as drought-hit, and there is a loss of standing crop in over 48.19 lakh hectare, as per study report from experts. The small and marginal farmers are in dire straits, Surjewala said.

“The state government in a memorandum to the Centre had sought to release Rs 18,177.44 crore relief funds, which included Rs 4,663.12 crore towards input subsidy, 12,577.86 crore for emergency relief and another Rs 363.68 crore to save cattle heads. However, the union government plays deaf to the state’s memorandum,” he alleged.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and appealed for the release of central aid to Karnataka, Surjewala noted.

Deputy Chief minister DK Shivakumar had also met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior officials of the Agriculture ministry and presented a memorandum, but still a “mute response” from the Centre, Surjewala said. “Centre should also take steps to release other stalled grants,” he said.

He also alleged that MPs from Karnataka remain mute spectators on Centre’s “injustice” to the State and criticised them for not responding to the plight of farmers, who are in great distress. “They are waiting for immediate relief from the Centre. There are 26 BJP and one BJP supported MPs in Karnataka, I failed to understand what they are doing in support of the distressed farmers and people of Karnataka,” Surjewala said.