Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Jan 9: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPPC) chief Dr G Parameshwar, who arrived in the city on Monday January 9 to participate in the district Congress review meeting, said that the state BJP goverment had failed in its promise to provide an efficient administration.
"BJP has completed three years of administration and completely failed in delivering its promises," he told reporters at a press meet.
"Former chief minister Yeddyurappa had alloted Rs 66,000 crore in the budget, only about 60 percent of this has been made use of. The remaining 40 percent has to be used up in the coming 40 months, which is not likely to happen," he added.
He further said that in a recent review meeting conducted by chief minister Sadananda Gowda, it was revealed that in 18 zilla panchayats not even 50 percent of the alloted budget was used. "Who is responsible for this?" he demanded.
"Road development works and drinking water projects have not reached villages. Rs 950 crore was alloted for drinking water project but only Rs 250 crore has been spent."
"Rs 4,550 crore was set aside for repairing roads across the state, but still there are pending bills. The PWD department was alloted Rs 4,390 crore, but nothing has been done. Bills woth Rs 3,500 crore are pending."
The Sampaje-Mane road has still not been repaired in spite of protest and padayatra undertake by the Congress, he said.
The Congress will demand white paper from the ruling government in the coming assembly session, Dr Parameshwar added.
"Yeddyurappa during his stint as CM had come up with the new agriculture budget. He went to Delhi carrying a copy of it, stating that Rs 3,179 crore would be released under it, but there has no been no development in agriculture. Instead, we have only global investors meet invoving real estate business. These are nothing but plans to snatch farmers' lands," he lashed out.
The pension scheme has been provided by the central government, but the state government has failed to disburse the same. For the last six months, beneficiaries have not received their pensions. Even the ration cards are not properly registered - there are around 30 lac illegal rations cards in the state, he claimed.
Taking a dig at Sadananda Gowda, he said that though he belongs to the coastal region, he has failed to initiate any development work for the welfare of his own people.
When asked if the Congress is likely to launch a protest regarding all these issues, Dr Parameshwar said that a decision would be taken after holding talks with the partymen, and the issues will be raised in the next assembly session.
On the recent attacks on churches in the coastal areas, he said that BJP was scheming against minorties. He referred to the Sindhagi incident where a Pakistani flag was hoisted creating uproar, and said that despite knowing that Sri Rama Sene members were behind it, the government has not taken any action.
On the issue of appointment of Lokayukta, he said the governor had rejected Bannurmath's name, but the state government wants him as Lokayukta so that Yeddyurappa and others in the BJP who are facing probe can get away.
AICC general secretary Madhusudan Mistry who was also present, when asked about the possible emergence of NCP in Karnataka, brushed aside rumours of Congress MLAs joining it.
"Not a single Congress MLA will join NCP," he said with confidence.
Congress leaders Oscar Fernandes, Janardhan Poojary, B K Hariprasad, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Abhayachandra Jain, U T Khader and Ivan D'Souza were present.