K'taka flood: BSY thanks Centre for releasing Rs 1,200 cr as relief

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa thanked the Centre for releasing Rs 1,200 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund for the flood-ravaged state. Not satisfied with the allocation, state Congress termed it as a humiliation to the people of the state.

“Central government has released an amount of Rs 1,200 crore for Karnataka in advance from the National Disaster Response Fund. Expressing gratitude for the support to @PMOIndia Sri @narendramodi ji & @HMOIndia Sri @AmitShah ji on behalf of the people of Karnataka, Yediyurappa tweeted. Yediyurappa’s government had been facing intense criticism over the ‘delay’ in central aid.

“People of the state are humiliated with the allocation of Rs 1,200 crore as against the state government’s assessment of Rs 35,000 crore. This shows that the centre has zero confidence in @BSYBJP govt & doesn’t believe him Kannadigas patience is put to severe test from @narendramodi on a regular basis!” Karnataka Congress tweeted.

Karnataka had sent a flood damage estimate of Rs 35,160.81 crore to the union government, reducing it by Rs 3,290 crore, after the Centre objected to inclusion of private buildings that were affected.

As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts were affected due to floods in August, in which over 80 people were killed. Around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas and thousands of houses were damaged.

BJP governments at both Centre and the state have been facing criticism from the opposition Congress and JDS regarding the ‘delay’ in grant of central funds despite Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and inter-ministerial central team visiting the affected region. The opposition parties have accused Modi government of showing ‘apathy’ towards Karnataka, despite state sending 25 BJP MPs.

Even BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and MP Srinivas Prasad, also some staunch RSS and BJP supporters, have expressed reservation on the delay in the release of central funds.