BENGALURU, May 15 – Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday voiced strong concerns over the Union government's delay in releasing funds for centrally-sponsored schemes, stating that such inaction could force the state to revisit its earlier path of protest in New Delhi.
Addressing the media, Parameshwara highlighted that nearly Rs 5,500 crore in grants were pending from the Centre. “For the last two years, we have been asking the Centre to release the grants. For various reasons, they are getting delayed—sometimes they don’t come at all,” he said.
He noted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently reviewed the matter and instructed the state’s Members of Parliament to press the Union government for immediate disbursal. “Such a situation should not arise again where the state government has to stage a protest in Delhi,” he cautioned.
In February last year, CM Siddaramaiah had led a protest in the national capital against what he termed as the Centre’s “injustice” in tax devolution and grant allocations.
The remarks come a day after the Chief Minister chaired the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Bengaluru, where he accused the Centre of apathy and blamed it for delaying development projects by not releasing Karnataka’s share of funds under centrally-sponsored schemes.
Responding to media queries about the absence of several MPs from Wednesday’s meeting, Parameshwara said, “They, too, may have had their own commitments. But the state government and the CM have ensured that MPs are treated with due respect.”
The state has intensified its appeal for timely fund flow, especially amid concerns that developmental works are being hampered due to financial constraints created by the delayed grants.