BENGALURU: With no sign of any aid from the Centre, the BJP Government in Karnataka, which is constantly being badgered by the opposition for its alleged inability to convince the Union Government, has decided to shell out Rs 1,500 crore from its own kitty towards flood relief. The BS Yediyurappa Cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs 1,000 crore for construction and repair of houses and Rs 500 crore for construction and repair of roads in the flood-ravaged districts.
The Yediyurappa government had made various representations to the Centre seeking aid for the damage caused due to floods. Despite personal review of the situation by Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Amit Shah as well as an assessment of loss by a central teams, no aid has come so far. Karnataka had initially pegged the losses due to floods at Rs 38,451.11 crore, but was forced to trim it to Rs 35,160.81 crore after the Union Government’s insistence that private buildings be excluded from the assessment of losses.
“As first instalment, Rs 1 lakh will be given for construction of houses and Rs 25,000 for repair of damaged houses to those who have been identified as eligible.
The Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for construction of houses in flood-affected districts will be distributed into bank accounts of district deputy commissioners. An additional Rs 500 crore has been approved for construction and repair of damaged roads,” Law minister J C Madhuswamy told the media.
In the absence of central funds, the State Government hopes to use unspent funds from various departments, including from under the SC/ST sub-plan for relief and rehabilitation measures. “We hope to receive aid from the Centre soon, but we will begin works with funds from the (state) exchequer,” he added.
The Congress and JDS have been lambasting the BJP government in Karnataka for failing to secure aid from the Centre where it is in power too. At its legislature party meeting on Wednesday, Congress slammed the BJP’s inability to hold the Centre accountable.
HDK govt had sought Rs 2,434 cr for drought relief
Apart from spending from its own coffers, the Yediyurappa Government is also compelled to utilise Rs 338 crore from budgetary annual grants to Karnataka State Disaster Relief Fund. In August this year, a high-level committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah had approved Rs 1,029.39 crore additional funds to Karnataka under National Disaster Management funds for drought relief, while releasing funds to states like Odisha and Himachal Pradesh for other natural calamities witnessed in 2018-19.
This was the last aid Karnataka has received from the Union Government. The previous HD Kumaraswamy Government had sought relief of Rs 2,434 crore citing severe drought in the state. Last year, when Karnataka witnessed landslides caused by heavy rains and floods, especially in Kodagu district, the Centre had approved aid of Rs 546.21 crore from NDRF in November against the state’s request for Rs 2,000 crore in August.