Congress Slams Modi Government Over Karnataka's Water Crisis and MGNREGS Wages

The Congress stated on Monday that Karnataka is experiencing a grave water crisis as a result of the state's widespread drought and charged the Modi administration with failing to assist the state's citizens.

The criticism of the administration by Congress general secretary and in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh occurred the day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to speak at a public gathering in Shivamogga.

The prime minister is currently in Shivamogga, Karnataka. "We hope his speech touches on some of the most important issues facing the state," he remarked.

According to Ramesh, 223 of the 236 Talukas in Karnataka are experiencing drought conditions, and the state is currently experiencing a serious water crisis.

"The state administration has asked Modi Sarkar to give Rs 18,172 crore in funding to help alleviate the drought. Why has Modi Sarkar declined to assist the people of Karnataka thus far? In a post on X, he stated.

According to the Congress leader, the Karnataka government has attempted to raise the number of working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) from 100 to 150 in order to lessen the strain that the drought is putting on the rural economy.

"The plan includes a clause requiring this to be done in times of drought. But in addition to refusing to authorize the scheme's extension, the Modi Sarkar has also refused to provide Rs. 1600 crore for the payment of wages to MGNREGS employees, according to Ramesh.

He questioned when Karnataka's MGNREGS workers will receive their payments from the Modi administration.

"Since taking office in 2023, the Karnataka government's efforts to provide an additional 5 kgs of rice to poor families through its Anna Bhagya Scheme have been disrupted by the Modi government," he stated.

He claimed that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had refused to supply rice to the Karnataka government after first agreeing to sell the 2.28 lakh metric tonnes of rice needed to meet the scheme's requests at Rs 34 per kg.

"The FCI's attempts to sell rice in the private markets have not been successful, and as of November 2023, its rice holdings were twice what it needed to hold as a buffer. Is the FCI's unwillingness to provide the Karnataka State Government with rice, which would seem to be a simple answer to its current issues, just a matter of political retaliation?" stated Ramesh.

The Congress spokesperson went on to say that B Y Raghavendra, the son of former BJP Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, represents Shivamogga in the Lok Sabha.

"B.Y. Vijayendra, a second son of previous BJP Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, is the chief of the Karnataka State BJP. The prime minister should make clear the BJP's position on "dynasty" in politics while he is at Shivamogga today. He stated as much, pleading with the PM to end his "silence" on the matter.

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