BENGALURU: Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda here on Sunday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would issue directions to the Centre to release NDRF funds against drought relief. As the Supreme Court will hear the writ petition filed by the state on Monday, Gowda left for the national capital on Sunday to hold deliberations with the state’s counsels.
“On April 8, the Supreme Court heard the case during which the attorney general representing the Centre sought two weeks’ time and it is listed for Monday. We hope that with the Supreme Court’s intervention will get the drought relief fund due to the farmers of the state,” he told.
The minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai had written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 15, that the High Level Committee (HLC) meeting to be convened under the chairmanship of home minister Amit Shah did not take place. The state which had submitted its report seeking the funds on Nov 13, 2023 itself, has been forced to move the Supreme Court, he said.
It may be noted that Congress had raised the issue, but Amit Shah blamed the delay in release of funds on the delay in the submission of the report. However, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, admitted the delay, and claimed that the matter is with the ECI, which has to give its permission to HLC to convene the meeting.