As repeated appeals seeking funds under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) from the Centre have not yielded results, the Congress government in Karnataka has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the Union government for denying financial assistance for drought management in the State.
The move is expected to trigger a fresh political debate in the run-up to the two-phase Lok Sabha elections in the State. Earlier too, Karnataka raised the issue of “discrimination” by the Centre in devolution of funds, clearances to projects and financial assistance for schemes.
“We cannot be mute spectators when the farmers are in distress. The Centre’s hostility towards the State’s people and farmers is deliberate and therefore we approached the apex court seeking justice,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters here on Saturday.
Under Article 32
The State has approached the Supreme Court under Article 32 for enforcement of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution to seek directions from the court to the Centre for release of funds under the NDRF, the Chief Minister said.
A total 223 out of 236 taluks were notified as drought-affected. The agriculture and horticulture crop loss during kharif 2023 has been reported in over 48 lakh hectares with the estimated loss of ₹35,162 crore. The government has sought ₹18,171.44 crore from the Centre under NDRF.
“The present drought situation has damaged crops, affected livestock, leading to lower yields, reduced income for farmers, increased food prices and increased shortage of water in urban and rural areas as well due to reduced ground water level and shortage or no water storage in lakes as well as reservoirs. The overall socio-economic scenario is in distress and is evident from the relief measures being undertaken to mitigate fodder shortage and drinking water scarcities,” the petition said.
“Step-motherly treatment has been meted out to the State. The Centre totally failed to discharge its humanitarian, moral, legal responsibilities,” said the Chief Minister, who had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought release of funds. “The State annually pays ₹4.3 lakh crore to the Centre in the form of taxes, but our State receives less than the funds given to Gujarat.”
“As all our efforts failed and there is no other alternative, we have approached the Supreme Court. A crisis has arisen between the Centre and the State,” the Chief Minister said.
Central team’s visit
The petition from Karnataka stated, “Under the Manual for Drought Management, the Union government is required to take a final decision on the assistance to the State from the NDRF within a month of the receipt of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).”
The IMCT had visited drought-affected districts from October 4 to 9, 2023 and made a comprehensive assessment of drought situation in the State. The IMCT submitted its report to the sub-committee of the National Executive Committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act. But the Union government has not taken a final decision on the assistance to the State from the NDRF.
“It is respectfully submitted that inaction on the part of the Central government to act on the report and take a final decision to release financial assistance to the State is ex-facie illegal, arbitrary, and violative of fundamental rights guaranteed to its citizens under Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the State’s petition said.
Noting the steps taken for handling drought, the Chief Minister said the State government has released ₹633.5 crore to 33.44 lakh farmers’ bank accounts. A sum of ₹327 crore had been released to supply drinking water. Except Bengaluru, water was being supplied to 309 locations and 781 private borewells have been hired for supplying water, the Chief Minister said.
