Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 13: The central government has shared Rs 51,700 crore as Karnataka’s tax devolution for the current year, released in instalments. While the Centre had assured Rs 16,000 crore for centrally sponsored schemes during this financial year, only around Rs 7,000 crore has been released so far, leaving a balance of Rs 9,000 crore yet to be paid.
The Karnataka government has written to the Centre seeking early release of the pending funds. In addition, the Centre’s share of Rs 4,574 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission is also due to the state.
The health grant recommended for Karnataka by the 15th Finance Commission has not been released by the union ministry of health and family welfare for the past two years. The Commission had allocated Rs 2,928 crore to the state for the period from 2021–22 to 2025–26. Of this, only Rs 1,497 crore has been released so far. No funds have been released for the years 2024–25 and 2025–26.
This information was provided by minister of state for health and family welfare Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday, in response to a question raised by Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta. The MP had sought details on the total funds released to Karnataka over the past five years and the amount spent by the state.
Union Jal Shakti minister C R Patil clarified that the remaining funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission will be released to Karnataka only after submission of utilisation certificates. Replying to a question by Ballari MP E Tukaram during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that several states, including Karnataka, have not submitted utilisation certificates for the funds already released. “We have informed the chief minister and deputy chief minister of Karnataka through letters that no further funds will be released without submission of utilisation certificates,” he said.
The minister also stated that another meeting will be held next week regarding the release of Jal Jeevan Mission funds. Speaking on the occasion, E Tukaram said that Karnataka has made remarkable progress under the scheme, but alleged that the Centre has withheld nearly Rs 13,500 crore. He urged the central government to release the pending amount at the earliest.
Rajya Sabha member G C Chandrashekhar said that the Centre had allocated Rs 56,549 crore this year for centrally sponsored schemes being implemented in Karnataka, but only Rs 34,073 crore had been released till December 6, leaving Rs 22,476 crore pending.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, he said that the state government has written to all MPs urging them to raise the issue of injustice to Karnataka in Parliament. He added that he would raise his voice against the Centre’s discriminatory policy in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Chandrashekhar further alleged that under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Karnataka had around eight lac beneficiaries in 2020, which has now increased to 34 lac. However, the Centre’s contribution stands at only Rs 2,500 crore, while the state government has spent Rs 7,400 crore. “The Centre is supposed to bear 60 per cent of the cost of the scheme, but it is currently contributing only about 25 per cent,” he complained.