Centre regularly discards our demands for relief, claims Parameshwara
The Union government has regularly discarded Karnataka’s pleas for higher drought or flood relief or crop loss compensation, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who holds
The Union government has regularly discarded Karnataka’s pleas for higher drought or flood relief or crop loss compensation, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who holds the Revenue portfolio, said in Belagavi on Wednesday. “Every time we suffer from drought or flood, we create proposals for funds and take it to the Union government. But then, at least in the last few years, the Union government has failed to honour our demands. It has not conceded even 10% of our demands,” he told reporters in the Suvarna Soudha. To a query, he said that the State government has been regularly updating the process for assessment of crop loss, using new technology tools and introducing checks and balances between various departments.
“However, updating the Calamity Relief Fund norms is the responsibility of the Union government. It has not been doing it as frequently as possible. I do not want to play politics about it, but neglect of the State by the Centre remains a truth,” he said. He said that there is no dearth of funds for ensuring drinking water supply or drought relief in the State government. “There is an average of ₹5 crore in the Personal Deposit Accounts of Deputy Commissioners in the districts for drinking water supply works itself. We have issued clear instructions to all officers to take up drinking water works on priority,” he said.
Earlier, at the Revenue Day celebrations, the Minister said that all pending promotions in the Revenue Department will be completed within two months. “We have already grade two tahsildars to grade one. The proposals for promoting tahsildars to Assistant Commissioners is pending. It will be done soon,” he said. He asked journalists to introspect on their style of work. “There are several changes in the way journalism is evolving. There are some good changes but, there are some negative ones too. We need to realise the difference and focus on the positives. Journalists, on the other hand, should introspect on why there are some negative changes in the field.
Some journalists are no longer neutral. They sit on judgment on issues and people. This needs to change. Journalists should act true to their calling and remain neutral,” Dr. Parameshwara said. He distributed press kits to some journalists as part of Press Day celebrations.
The BriefWire