Union labour minister and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP government in the state of failing to utilise the calamity relief fund (CRF) released by the Centre and blamed Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda for this lapse. “Although, the CM is keen on taking up pro-people projects, he is not able to do this because he is busy trying to save his post. His own party leaders are bent on removing him in their struggle for power,' said Mr Kharge.
He said the fight for power by BJP leaders has landed people of Karnataka in dire straits. When drought had affected the state in the past, Congress governments had faced the situation effectively by giving top priority to tackling the drinking water crisis and providing fodder and shelter to the needy in rural areas. They had also initiated measures to stop migration of rural folk to other areas in search of employment, something the BJP government has not done, he said.
The state government is needlessly blaming the Centre for all its failures, he said adding that funds being released by the Centre for many projects are not being utilised by the state properly. As regards Karnataka’s request to Maharashtra to release water from the Koyna reservoir to overcome the water crisis, he said the state government has so far, not sent details about the amount of water it needs to the Maharashtra government. “Unless the state government submits a comprehensive proposal to Maharashtra demanding supply of water from Koyna and other reservoirs of neighbouring states, it is not possible to get water,'' he said.