Union Minister for Coal and Power Piyush Goyal has accused the Karnataka government of “playing politics” and not promoting the Centre’s schemes in the State.
“If the State government cooperates with the Centre in a better way, hundreds of schemes will reach beneficiaries. But unfortunately, cooperation from the Karnataka government has not been satisfactory,” he said. He pointed out that the State government was not promoting crop insurance scheme such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana enough. “This is the first scheme that gives full insurance. If the State government had got more farmers to enrol, it would have insured them for the severe drought in the State. Karnataka lags in its implementation,” he alleged.
Mr. Goyal said the State government had re-branded the Central UJWALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for all) scheme that provides LED bulbs at highly subsidised rates. “The government is more interested in claiming credit than helping people. However, the State has faired poorly. While it has sold 1.58 crore LED bulbs till date, a smaller State like Gujrat has sold 3.75 crore bulbs,” he said.
Mr. Goyal was speaking in Bengaluru as part of the Making of Developed India Fest, to mark three years of the NDA government.
