Assuring voters of efforts in getting grants for the ongoing development works, D. Vedavyas Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA, on Monday, May 29, said that if he fails to get funds, he will come before the voters to narrate the reasons.
Talking to reporters here, Mr. Kamath said that the new government has stopped grants of over ₹20,000 crore for ongoing development works, which were initiated by the previous BJP government. Stating that he is yet to know specific details of the works in his constituency that will be affected, Mr. Kamath said many of the road and other development works have come to a halt. “I will put in 100% effort in getting the funds by convincing the Ministers and officials. If I fail to do so, I will place the facts before my voters,” he said.
Stopping grants to ongoing works was part of the measure by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government to generate funds for implementing five guarantees and other assurances. Among the works for which funds have been denied include those for which he laid foundation stone following completion of tender process. “Congress should clearly state it is against development (of the State),” Mr. Kamath said.
Implementing five guarantees
Mr. Kamath, who has been re-elected for the second time from Mangaluru City South constituency, said Siddaramaiah government should implement all the five ‘guarantees’ without any condition. Every woman head of the family was assured of ₹2,000 per month. Every household was assured of 200 units of free power, unemployed diploma and degree holders were assured of unemployment allowance, a below poverty line family was assured of 10 kg rice and every woman was assured of free bus travel.
Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, had assured of bringing these guarantees into effect within 24 hours of formation of the government. People believed it and voted Congress to power. “But now, Ministers are interpreting ‘guarantees’ in a different way and are saying about conditions,” he said. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should enforce all guarantees without any conditions. “Failure to do so will tantamount to cheating voters for which Congress will have to pay dearly in the forthcoming elections,” he said.
The Congress was raising issues like ban on Bajrang Dal and textbook revision to divert attention of people away from implementation of guarantees.
When pointed to statements by Congress leaders that the new government needs time to mobilise money for enforcement of guarantees, Mr. Kamath said that Congress should have told this to people during the campaign.
On inclusion of Tulu in the eight schedule of the constitution, Mr. Kamath said the Basavaraj Bommai-government has done 95% of the work. “Recently committee headed by (Alvas Education Foundation Chairman) Mohan Alva has submitted the report. It is now left to the new Government to complete the remaining formalities,” he said.
