DK Shivakumar on relief fund: 'Not enough despite Supreme Court's intervention'

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday lamented the fact that the Supreme Court had to intervene in order to make sure the Centre released drought relief funds to the state.

The state will receive Rs 3,498.82 crore as drought relief fund, as the Union Finance Ministry agreed to release funds after the Supreme Court's intervention.

Calling the amount of funds agreed to be released by the Centre as 'inadequate', DK Shivakumar said the state government had demanded an amount of Rs 18,000 crore as relief fund but was sanctioned only Rs 3,454 crore.

"We reject this Rs 3,000 crore. We want justice. We will protest near the Gandhi statue of the Vidhana Soudha tomorrow (April 28) against this injustice," the senior Congress leader said in a press conference.

"A total of 223 taluks are drought-hit now. Bengaluru too struggled, but it (the crisis) was resolved. Farmers have suffered huge losses. A loss of Rs 35,161 crore has been estimated so far because of the drought," Shivakumar said.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted, "This is perhaps the first time in the history of India that a state was driven to the Supreme Court to get its rights enforced."

He further said that Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) 'finally woke up when the Supreme Court rang the bell'.

Meanwhile, sharpening his attack on the Centre, DK Shivakumar alleged that the Centre was yet to release another Rs 5,000 crore for water projects in the state despite having made provisions for it in the Union Budget.

He slammed JD(S) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for not raising the Mekedatu issue before his party joined hands with the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections despite making a promise to do so.

Asked about the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state, the Deputy Chief Minister said he was happy with the way polling was going on barring a few incidents of minor scuffles and boycotts.

"We will surely reach double digits in Karnataka," DK Shivakumar claimed while refusing to comment whether the voter turnout was anything to go by.

(with inputs by Sudath Bhardwaj)