Terming the allocation of ₹500 crore to the Mahadayi water diversion scheme as inadequate, State general secretary of the Janata Dal (Secular) Y.S.V. Datta has said that at least ₹2,000 crore should have been allocated for the works.
Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Mr. Datta said that it was time the State government took up its works and its related works on war footing particularly after the gazette notification following Supreme Court direction.
“We don’t know when another hurdle will come to delay the project. So the best way is to allocate more funds, initiate, and complete the works at the earliest,” he said.
He said that the budgetary allocation to Mahadayi works was indicative of the ‘seriousness’ of the State government towards the long-pending project despite the clearances now. Mr. Datta said that the State had already lost GST allocation to the tune of ₹12,000 crore to ₹13,000 crore.
“There is a total deficit of around ₹21,000 crore. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has openly accepted the injustice that has been meted out to Karnataka in the Centre’s allocation,” he said.
Mocking the Chief Minister’s remark that they would again petition the Centre for increasing the allocation and they would get increased allocation next year to meet the deficit, Mr. Datta wanted to know who he wanted to fool.
“The truth is that the State’s financial condition is pathetic and Mr. Yediyurappa has to depend on limited sources of revenue. And through the message, he has clearly indicated that he cannot give anything extra to the people of the State,” he said.
The BJP leaders had always maintained that the allocations and benefits to the State would improve if the same party was in power both at the Centre and the State, and now instead of allocations being increased, it had only reduced, he said.
