CM Slams Centre Over Release of Grants for State's Key Projects

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday slammed the Centre for "not releasing the announced grants" for the state, which include funds for the Bhadra dam project, pensions for poor, elderly citizens and the needy, and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

- Press Trust of India

BENGALURU:

Siddaramaiah chaired a review meeting of the functioning of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHA), a government initiative that seeks to promote participative governance and deliberative democracy.

The committee members suggested that efforts should be made to bring the central share to the state.

Siddaramaiah reiterated that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in the budget that ₹5,300 crore would be given for the Bhadra Upper River Project, but till now, the state has not received even a rupee.

The Upper Bhadra Project aims to irrigate approximately 225,000 hectares across the districts of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davangere, and Tumakuru, utilizing around 19 tmcft of water. Additionally, the project plans to replenish over 350 tanks with 10.8 tmcft of water and enhance the capacity of the Vani Vilas reservoir.

The CM said that in the 15th Finance Commission, a special grant of ₹5,495 crore should have been provided by the Centre, including money for the lake and the peripheral ring road, totaling ₹11,495 crore, but the state has not received any amount.