BJP denies state govt's allegation over grant of funds

Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party Friday rubbished the Karnataka government’s allegation that the Centre was apathetic towards the state over grant of funds.

BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje referred to the charge made by state rural development and panchayat raj minister Krishna Byre Gowda that the Centre had not released Rs 1,697 crore towards the rural employment guarantee scheme.

Gowda had made the allegation at a press conference here Thursday that the state government had to make payments from its coffers for the works undertaken under the scheme.

Clarify on this, Karandlaje said the state government had sought Rs 949 crore from the Centre in October last year against which Rs 434.62 crore had been released.

“It is the duty of the state government to get the second instalment released. The government has not only failed in its duty but has also accused the Centre of its inability,” Karandlaje had said in a statement.

The BJP leader had said the confusion on the longevity of the state government made it sit on the severe drought situation and wait till the Lok Sabha election was over to carry out relief work.

The cabinet meeting that took place Thursday should have taken place a month ago but the government was busy with election duties. The government had enough time to carry out relief work a month ago,” she said.

But, all the ministers including the agriculture minister were busy with election-related works and ignored the rural distress, she said.