BJP demands White Paper from Cong govt on fulfillment of assurances to North K'taka

Belagavi, Dec 10 Opposition leader R. Ashoka on Wednesday accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of failing to fulfill its promises to North Karnataka and demanded that it release a White Paper detailing the progress made on all commitments, including compensation for farmers and flood-affected families.

Speaking in the Assembly about the issues in North Karnataka, he said that efficient leadership is needed to resolve the region’s long-pending problems. He alleged that the government has not provided compensation to farmers nor to those who lost their homes.

He said that during floods, people stay in relief centres and require immediate financial support. Under the Congress government, compensation was given 9 months later in 2013-14, 8 months later in 2014-15, and 7 months later in 2015-16.

In the BJP-led government, compensation was provided within two months after the August 2019-20 flood, within two months for the 2022 flood, within two months for the 2021-22 flood, and within one month for the 2023 flood. Such delays should not happen, Ashoka said.

According to NDRF norms, Rs 95,000 is given for house damage. The BJP state government added Rs 4 lakh, making the total compensation Rs 5 lakh. The Congress-led government is not providing such support in North Karnataka and is only giving the central share, Ashoka alleged.

He argued that it is impossible to build a house with just Rs 95,000. The previous BJP-led government provided Rs 6,651.15 crore in crop damage compensation to the bank accounts of 51.95 lakh farmers. The Congress-led government introduced the FRUITS software instead of DBT, causing a four-month delay. Now, compensation is being delayed, he criticised.

From 2014-2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government provided Rs 11,603 crore in relief, while the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government gave Rs 3,233 crore -- four times more, he said. The previous BJP state government did not wait for central assistance and disbursed funds directly from the state treasury. Similarly, the Congress government should also take money from the treasury and provide relief, he demanded.

More than 117 villages in Kalaburagi, Bidar, Vijayapura, and Yadgir districts have been flooded. Over 20,000 houses have been damaged, crops in 14.58 lakh hectares have been affected, and 2,890 schools have been damaged. While Dassara was being celebrated in Mysuru, people in North Karnataka were in water, he stated.

"We all went by car to visit, but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah conducted an aerial survey. Instead, he could have come by car and met the people. IAS officers always say everything is fine. The Chief Minister should have visited every village. Officials have not come to the villages for surveys either. In many places, they have given false reports saying there was no flood," he said.

"In the state, 41 lakh tonnes of sugarcane are produced across 9.81 lakh hectares. There are 81 sugar factories, all reportedly running in loss. Applications have come for starting 31 new factories. Cheating is happening in weighing machines, and only 50 per cent of them have been installed.

There is a 6 per cent deduction in machine harvesting. The government needs to pay attention to the old models of RSP and SAP. In Mudhol, fire broke out in 240 tractors, burning 1,033 tonnes of sugarcane. Would this have happened if there was fear of the police department? Thirty-two sugarcane farmers have committed suicide. Farmer Lakkappa Gunakar from Raibag committed suicide. No ministers visited then," Ashoka said.

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