The Congress and development are contrary to each other as the State government has completely neglected development works by diverting funds for implementation of guarantee schemes, charged BJP State Cells convener Dattatreya on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Dattatreya said development works had taken a backseat after the Congress assumed power in Karnataka. While the State was reeling under severe drought, the government had not brought out any relief measures. Instead of submitting details and data on drought to the Centre to get relief funds, the government was making futile exercise of approaching the Supreme Court against the Centre, he said.
Mr. Dattatreya alleged the Congress has neither a vision nor a mission; but knows only corruption. Terming the government as anti-farmer, he said the Congress had stopped its contribution of ₹4,000 towards the Raita Samman scheme of the Centre wherein the Central government paid ₹6,000 a year to farmers. The government was not paying the support price to milk producers, he alleged. By forcing farmers to sell their produce only through Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees by amending the APMC Act, the government has proved it was anti-farmer, he said.
The State Road Transport Corporations that were in a healthy conditions have become sick after the government implemented Shakti, free travel scheme for women, Mr. Dattatreya said. While buses had to be scrapped after they run more than seven lakh km, the situation has come where buses continue to be in operation even after running for 20 lakh km, he alleged. Corporations have become so poor that they cannot procure new buses.
Mr. Dattatreya claimed that the Narendra Modi government in the last 10 years had changed the landscape of the country towards development. While India has now become the 5th strongest economic power, it was destined to become Viksit Bharat when the country celebrates the centenary of its Independence in 2047, he said.
The Modi government had fulfilled 222 promises made to the citizens of India, including scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, construction of Ram Mandir etc. Industrial growth saw new heights wherein products from semiconductor to aeroplanes were being manufactured in the country while Digital India has made the country the forerunner in the financial sector in the world, he said.
Mangaluru Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur and others were present.
