BANGALORE: Karnataka has urged the Centre to provide more funds to the states in the coming budget to improve urban infrastructure facilities in metropolitan cities like Bangalore.
In a pre-budget consultation meeting of Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with state finance ministers held on Wednesday at Delhi, Special Representative of Karnataka in Delhi Dhananjay Kumar demanded the Centre to come to the rescue of states to address the infrastructure needs of their metropolitan cities by providing necessary financial assistance.
“It is beyond the capacity of the state governments to arrange for required investments to large projects like Metro rail. Therefore the Centre should come forward and provide assistance,” Kumar said.
Kumar, who attended the meeting on behalf of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda also demanded the Centre to increase the allocation to the states under the JnNURM to take up necessary infrastructure projects in tier-II cities.
He also stressed the need for arranging long term debt for infrastructure projects.
“The coming budget should focus on deepening of the capital markets and promotion of appropriate institutions for facilitating long term debt for infra projects,” he added. The state has urged for more freedom to decide their priorities while utilising Central assistance.