Kumaraswamy meets PM Modi to discuss Cauvery Board

Bengaluru/New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about issues influencing the state like lack of coal for Karnataka’s thermal power plant and furthermore about the newly framed Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB) in New Delhi on Monday June 18. 

Kumaraswamy on his visit to national capital also met Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari. He also met Congress President Rahul Gandhi at his home to talk about issues the coalition government is currently facing. 

Kumaraswamy was accompanied by Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) secretary general Danish Ali and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Congress K C Venugopal.

JD(S) sources said CM’s visit to Gandhi was a ‘courtesy visit’ and to likewise wish Rahul Gandhi for his birthday on June 19. They included that the Congress chief has assured full help to the Congress-JD(S) coalition. 

It is imperative to take note of the Karnataka government had before restricted any move to shape Cauvery Water Management Board. It had proposed the arrangement of Cauvery Decision Implementation Committee. The Supreme Court had requested the central government to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) within a month of declaration of the order . But, the Center has been reprimanded for neglecting to consent to the top court’s order. 

Karnataka will soon send to the Center the names of its chosen people in the Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB) and the Regulation Authority however it should address certain issues initially, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Monday. 

After meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari, he said issues identified with the Board were among others taken up amid the discussions. 

“There were a few specialized issues with respect to the setting up of the board which must be dealt with before it begins working. I asked for Water Resources Ministry to change two-three clauses and it has responded positively,” Kumaraswamy said. 

Prior, he had purportedly said that Parliament ought to have examined the issue and a resolution passed on the issue of setting up the Board. 

Karnataka has been against the setting up of the Board and inclines toward an arranged answer for the vexed water sharing issue. He said he had just discharged water to Tamil Nadu before it asked and he would have no issue in discharging Tamil Nadu its full-share if the monsoon is great. 

On the issue of demand of 50 percent from the centre for farmer loan waiver, Kumaraswamy said “I asked for the Prime Minister. But, there was no particular assurance.”