Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi has said that in order to cover up its inability to fulfil the five guarantees, the Congress is now blaming the Union government for lack of funds.
Speaking to presspersons in Hubballi on Sunday, Mr. Joshi said that instead of fulfilling its five guarantees, the Congress is now saying that the Union government has not released the rightful share of funds to the State.
“In the run-up to the Assembly elections, the Congress gave five guarantees to the electorate. But, now, after coming to power, it lacks the interest to fulfil them. That is the reason why Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is saying that the government has given in-principle approval and that the Centre has not released adequate funds to the State,” he said.
He said that the devolution funds have increased by 148% from 2009 to 2014 and they have increased by 129% from 2014 to 2019.
“When the Congress was in power at the Centre, the State used to receive ₹700 crore to ₹800 crore. During our government, the State received ₹5,000 crore to ₹7,000 crore. In 2009-10, the State received ₹2,476 crore, in 2019-20, it was ₹7,578 crore and during 2021-22, it received ₹7,862 crore. The grants are increasing every year. The Congress has become a specialist in telling lies,” he said.