Do not loot financial aid meant for drought-hit farmers released by Centre: K'taka BJP to Cong govt

Hubballi (Karnataka), May 1 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday urged the Congress-led Karnataka government not to steal the financial compensation of Rs 3,454 crore meant for the farmers reeling from drought in the state and send it to those states where the party was not in power.

Speaking to media persons, Opposition leader R. Ashoka has urged the state government that the farmers should get the financial compensation allotted towards drought released by the Centre through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

"As the state Treasury is empty, the Congress government conspires to delay and divert the funds for other purposes. The money allotted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be transferred to the accounts of the farmers directly," he added.

"After 75 years of independence, Narendra Modi is the only Prime Minister to sanction drought aid of Rs 3,454 crore directly to Karnataka. I thank him (PM Modi) on behalf of the state's farmers. The previous Prime Ministers, including Manmohan Singh, late Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and P.V. Narasimha Rao had not released the aid like it has been released at once now," the Opposition leader claimed.

"Under Disaster Management, the amount to be allotted to farmers per hectare was doubled as the previous BJP government in the state added the same amount from its side additionally to the central grant. The Congress should also sanction an additional grant of Rs 3,454 and give it to farmers across the state. If the Congress government is working for the farmers, it should match the grant from its side," he added.

The Congress had alleged that the Union government denied financial compensation meant for drought to Karnataka and made it a poll issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress also alleged that the BJP also approached the Supreme Court in this regard.

After the release of Rs 3,454 crore, the BJP has thanked the Centre and the Congress had said that it was a small amount.

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