Centre denied approval to 258 projects: Krishna

Karnataka Congress accused the BJP-led NDA govt of denying approval to 258 projects including irrigation schemes for political reasons.

Continuing its tirade against the BJP-led NDA government at the centre, the Karnataka unit of the Congress on Friday charged it with meting out "stepmotherly treatment" to the state for political reasons and denying approval to 258 projects including irrigation schemes.

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With just three days left for the second and final phase of polling, the Congress alleged the BJP government refused approvals for irrigation projects like Singatalur and Markandeya "to please its allies Chandrababu Naidu of TDP and Jayalalithaa of AIADMK."

State unit Congress spokesman VR Sudarshan told reporters here despite persistent efforts, the Centre did not approve 258 development projects sent to it in the last four years and also adopted a "biased approach" in release of funds. The BJP government virtually dumped the state's proposals into "cold storage", he alleged.

A project seeking approval for taking up anti-sea erosion schemes in Coastal areas, submitted during 2000,was yet to see the light of the day, Sudarshan charged.

BJP government also ignored the interests of tobacco growers, sericulturists and weavers in the state, he said.