Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would increase Karnataka’s allocation of Central share of taxes in the coming days, while hailing him on completion of first year in office in his second stint.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Mr. Yediyurappa sought to downplay Karnataka’s Central share of taxes dwindling. “Both the State and Centre are facing financial problems. I am 100% confident that in the coming days, the PM will release more funds to Karnataka.”
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Opposition parties have been critical of both the Centre and the State government ever since the 15th Finance Commission, in its interim report for 2020-21, reduced the State’s share of Central taxes by over 1%. The Opposition had even taken the State government to task in the recent State legislature session over the Centre rejecting the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendation of a special grant of ₹5,495 crore to Karnataka for 2020-21.
Listing the assistance given to Karnataka from the Centre under Mr. Modi’s leadership in the first year, he said the State had received a total of ₹17,249 crore as Central allocation and other transfers besides an allocation of ₹10,079 crore for Central-sponsored schemes. In addition to this, Mr. Modi had provided flood assistance of ₹1,869 crore to Karnataka, he said.
The other projects assisted by the Centre included inauguration of the Kalaburagi airport and development of the Shivamogga airport. Central allocation had also been made for Bengaluru-Dharwad, Mysuru-Kushalnagar, Shikaripur-Ranebennur railway lines (₹3,085 crore), railway workshop in Kolar (₹485 crore), 148-km railway sub-urban railway line project (₹18,600 crore), he said. The State also had 49,12,445 PM Kisan Samman scheme beneficiaries, he pointed.
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Hailing the role of the PM in handling the COVID-19 situation, the CM said the Centre had given ₹2,351 crore to Karnataka to distribute eight lakh tonnes of food grains to poor people during the tough times.
Kaayaka yogi
Describing PM Modi as a kaayaka yogi, the Chief Minister said 70% of the people in the country wanted Mr. Modi to not only complete his full term, but also become PM again.