Centre has not released a single rupee to Karnataka for drought relief despite appeals: Siddaramaiah

CM Siddaramaiah said Centre has not released any funds for drought relief to Karnataka despite twice requesting ₹17,000 crore. Central team accepted 116 taluks were affected, but no positive response. He had informal dinner meeting with Home Minister G Parameshwara, H.C. Mahadevappa & Satish Jarkiholi, no politics discussed. He heard of BJP attempts to destabilise govt, but not of cash offer.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on October 28, 2023, said the Centre has not released a single rupee towards drought relief for Karnataka though the State government has twice urged it to release at least ₹17,000 crore. The Centre thus has been continuing the step motherly treatment to Karnataka, he told reporters at Mangaluru International Airport en route to Udupi.

The Central team has accepted that 116 taluks in the State were affected by drought while the state has estimated losses to a tune of ₹33,000 crore. Yet there has been no positive response from the centre, Mr. Siddaramaiah lamented. 

Asked about his dinner meeting with Home Minister G Parameshwara and others on Friday, Mr Siddaramaiah said it was an informal meeting following Mr Parameshwara’s invitation. Ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jarkiholi too were invited. No politics was discussed, he said. 

Responding to queries about the BJP allegedly offering ₹50 crore to Congress MLAs to bring down his government, Mr Siddaramaiah said he had heard about attempts by the BJP to destabilise his government; but not about the cash offer.