Centre not providing K'taka its due share of funds: CM

Bangalore, Jul 30 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today accused the centre of ignoring the state and not providing its 'rightful share' of funds for various programmes.

In his over two hour long reply on a debate to the budget estimates for 2008-09, he said even while granting Institute of Technologies (IITs) recently to various states, the centre had ignored Karnataka.

He had already written to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard and appealed to him to set right 'injustice' meted to the state. The state was ready to provide land and other amenities if an IIT was sanctioned, he clarified.

He said the focal point of his budget was the farming community which remained a 'ignored' since independence. Keeping this in view he had announced a number of welfare measures to improve farmer's living conditions.

Prominent among them were providing Rs 1000 to each of the 50 lakh families of dryland farmers towards purchase of seed and manure, providing free power supply to 15 lakh farmers, providing loan to 14 lakh farmers, weavers and fishermen at the rate of 3 per cent interest and subsidy of Rs two per litre of milk to over five lakh milk producers.

He announced that the government earmarked Rs 10 crore towards expenditure to be incurred on sending farmers' teams comprising 1000 each to various countries including China to study agriculture progress.

An Agriculture Mission headed by himself would also be set up for overall development of agriculture, he added.

He also announced that the government would make use of remote sensing to unearth illegal mining and set up special squads in this regard. No fresh licence was granted or old licenses were renewed after he took over, he clarified.

He announced issue of fresh permits to start bars and wine shops, as announced in the budget, would be withheld keeping in view the views of various members during the debate. Other announcements included, issue of Below Poverty Line cards to plantation workers and construction of 1000 rooms for devotees thronging the Tirumala hills in Andhra Pradesh.

UNI SR RS SKB1818