Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister, responded to Karnataka’s plea to the Supreme Court concerning the alleged absence of drought relief funds. Sitharaman suggested that the court should adjudicate on any potential lapses, indicating her willingness to abide by its decision. She made these remarks during an interaction program organized by the Thinkers Forum at R.V. Dental Medical College Hall in Bengaluru and Mysore Thinkers Forum in Mysore, reiterating the central government’s commitment to presenting accurate data to the judiciary for impartial evaluation.
Refuting Karnataka’s accusations, Sitharaman asserted that all funds owed to the state had been meticulously calculated and disbursed in accordance with the Finance Commission’s recommendations. She denied any discrimination in grant allocations, stating that all dues, including GST compensation, had been settled up to March of the current fiscal year.
Sitharaman clarified that although Karnataka had raised concerns about not receiving grants from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), funds would be released promptly upon the submission of the required audit certificate. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of adhering to established protocols for fund disbursement. The Finance Minister also highlighted the achievements of various government schemes, cautioning against hastily implementing free schemes without considering their economic feasibility and advising governments to exercise fiscal prudence in planning.
Post Your Comments