The former Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader G.T. Deve Gowda on Wednesday criticised the Congress government in the State for its failure to pay the promised ₹2,000 per farmer as compensation for crop loss.
Speaking to reporters after participating in a programme organised to release Mysuru District Journalists’ Association’s (MDJA) calendar and diary of the year 2024, Mr. Gowda pointed out that crops on 48 lakh hectares of land worth ₹38 lakh crore had been ruined as a result of to the drought in the State.
Though the State government had promised to provide a relief of ₹2,000 per farmer, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself had admitted that the compensation amount had not reached the farmers due to certain technical issues.
When his attention was drawn to the State government’s repeated claims that the Centre had failed to release the crop loss compensation and other Goods and Service Tax (GST) dues, Mr. Gowda said the Centre will release its compensation only after the State government spends its share.
With regard to the GST dues, Mr. Gowda said the State government will receive its dues when other states also receive it.
He said the State government not only denied the farmers the promised ₹2,000 crop loss, but several women beneficiaries of Gruha Lakshmi scheme had complained that they had not received the ₹2,000 though their neighbours were receiving the same.
Mr. Gowda, who batted for a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said no decision has been taken yet on the candidates or the seats to be contested by the JD(S).
While JD(S) will support BJP candidates, wherever they are contesting, the BJP will support the JD(S) candidates. The aim is to make Mr. Modi the country’s Prime Minister again, Mr. Gowda said, while adding that constituents of INDIA will also extend support to Mr. Modi at the time of elections.
Mr. Gowda had released the calendar and diary of MDJA in the presence of hotelier P.V. Giri of Siddartha Group of Hotels and MDJA president S.T. Ravikumar.
