NEW DELHI: The Union government on Monday assured the Supreme Court that the funds needed by the Karnataka government to tackle drought will be released “expeditiously”.
This assurance was given by the Attorney General R Venkataramani to the apex court bench led by Justice BR Gavaiand comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta. The AG said, “It will be done expeditiously,” during the course of the hearing.
When senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, representing the Karnataka government, stressed the need for immediate release of central funds to Karnataka to tackle drought, the AG said the Election Commission of India has allowed the Union government to deal with the issue. Something will happen before next Monday.
Sibal said it is fine if it happens before next Monday. The court observed that it has to happen amicably, given this is a federal structure.
The apex court said that the Centre and states should not fight over the release of funds to tackle natural calamities.
The Karnataka government had moved the apex court seeking its direction to the Centre to release Rs 35,162 crore to tackle drought in the state.
The Supreme Court was hearing the Karnataka government’s petition against the Centre seeking release of assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
In its petition, the Karnataka government accused the Centre of not providing financial assistance for drought management although it had submitted several memorandums to it.