Hubballi: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said here on Saturday that the state expected more funds from the Union government to help rebuild the lives of those who had lost their homes and crops in the recent floods, and Rs 1,200 crores received recently was only an "interim relief." Speaking to reporters after offering bagina at the Almatti dam on Saturday, he said the release of funds had silenced the critics, who had been targeting the Union government on the issue. “I am confident more funds will be allotted soon to Karnataka by the Centre. I will bring more pressure on it to release the money," he promised. Denying the allegation by former CM H D Kumaraswamy that PM Narendra Modi was not giving him an appointment to discuss the flood issue, he said he would get the required work done even without meeting him.
“Kumaraswamy is giving such statements out of desperation. I don't want to reply to his allegations as I have more important work to do for the state's development, " he added.
Admitting that the Rs. 34,000 crore estimate on the loss suffered from the recent floods was not the final figure, he said the district administrations were still conducting a survey to arrive at it. Mr Yediyurappa, who toured parts of Yadagir district, attempted to drive home the point that the Opposition's demand was politically motivated as the state government was engaged in undertaking relief measures from its own funds. "My government did not wait for the Centre's assistance, we have spent Rs 3,000 crores from our coffers for providing the relief,” he added.
