Bengaluru, Sep 24 — Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said it was the Prime Minister's duty to provide assistance to the state as more than 200 taluks were reeling under drought, crops had been damaged, and the state was facing increasing shortages of power and water.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the state government was seeking Central assistance to address the worsening drought situation.
“More than 200 taluks in Karnataka are reeling under drought, and farmers' crops have been destroyed. Power generation has declined, and the shortage of water has increased. Therefore, it is the Prime Minister's duty to provide assistance to Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.
On the proposed visit of an all-party delegation to Delhi to seek drought relief, Shivakumar said the delegation would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after securing an appointment.
“The all-party delegation will go to Delhi. We have sought an appointment with the Prime Minister. The Deputy Chief Minister has conducted an in-depth study of the drought situation. Immediate interim relief should be provided now, followed by a detailed assessment of the drought and additional assistance,” he said.
Shivakumar expressed confidence that Opposition leaders and Members of Parliament from the state would support Karnataka's demand for relief.
He also spoke about the power shortage in the state, saying several states were purchasing electricity at the rate of Rs 20-22 per unit.
“We have instructed officials of the Energy Department to take necessary steps to protect the interests of our citizens,” he said.
Shivakumar said the government had also convened a meeting with sugar factory owners and would ask them to supply electricity generated by their units to the government by restricting its sale elsewhere.
He added that the government was exploring the possibility of setting up thermal power plants wherever feasible to address the power shortage.
On the BJP's protest over the state's financial situation, CM Shivakumar said the Finance Department routinely issues warnings and advice to governments.
“The Finance Department has given advice to the government. It issues warnings during the tenure of every government. It had also issued warnings during the governments of B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai. If necessary, I can release the documents,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of politicising the issue, Shivakumar said the financial concerns raised by the department were not unique to the present government.
“They are only doing politics. This is not a major issue to make political controversy over. If they want my resignation, let them take it,” he said.
Responding to questions about the BJP's proposed protest describing the state's economy as “dead”, CM Shivakumar challenged the Opposition to compare its record in the irrigation sector when it was in power.
“Let them conduct the protest. Shall I give them a list of how much money was available with the Irrigation Department during their government and how many works they awarded?” he asked.
He said criticising the government was easy, while managing the state while in power was a challenge.
“Criticising is very easy, but managing the situation when you are in power is challenging. We will handle it effectively. We are concerned about people's lives. We do not do politics based on caste or religious sentiments,” CM Shivakumar said.