BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and discussed various issues related to Karnataka.
Terming the meeting with Modi as “productive”, Shivakumar said that he had held discussions pertaining to strengthening the state’s economy and public welfare.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, told reporters that he brought up the issue of the Union Government not releasing any funds for the Upper Bhadra Project (UBP) in spite of the previous Union Budget committing Rs 5,300 crore for it. “The PM has promised to take it up in the upcoming Cabinet meeting,” Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar said he sought the PM’s intervention in the interstate water disputes, including the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the Cauvery river. “But he (Modi) suggested to resolve such issues amicably among ourselves (the states concerned),” Shivakumar added.
The DyCM said that a memorandum was submitted to Modi seeking more funds for development of Bengaluru and irrigation projects. Shivakumar claimed to have appealed for a GIFT City-like development in Bengaluru similar to the one in Gujarat. “The PM said only one GIFT City can be set up in the country. Since that request was not considered positively, we have sought more funds for the tunnel project, signal-free corridor, development of main roads and stormwater drains in Bengaluru as well funds for irrigation projects,” the DyCM said.
Bengaluru contributes the second highest tax to the national exchequer but the city hasn’t got anything in the recent Union budget, Shivakumar rued. During Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure as PM, Karnataka had got funds for the construction of flyovers at Electronics City, Hebbal, and Nelamangala under JNNURM, the DyCM said.
Shivakumar also met Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil, Union MoS for Jal Shakti V Somanna, and Housing and Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Shivakumar’s discussion with Khattar was focused on key issues in the urban development sectors including traffic decongestion, solid waste management, improving the flood resilience and extension of Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project.
‘Record quantity of water released to Tamil Nadu’ Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that 2.25 lakh cusecs of water was released to Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, which is the highest ever quantity released to the neighbouring state.
Currently, 1.75 lakh cusecs of water is flowing to Tamil Nadu. A red alert has been sounded for the Cauvery basin, and people need to be cautious, he said. “We have updated Union Water Resources Minister about the record quantity of water released to Tamil Nadu,” the DyCM added.