On November 17, in New Delhi, Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had a crucial meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During this encounter, he submitted a detailed memorandum advocating for several long-overdue requests from the state. These included the establishment of an AIIMS in Raichur, the disbursement of over Rs 2,100 crore in flood relief, and the approval of essential irrigation projects.

The memorandum outlined five vital areas of concern presented to the Prime Minister.

According to an official statement from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office, he emphasized the necessity of creating an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raichur, identified as an aspirational district within the Kalyana Karnataka region.

The document highlighted that the region suffers from “sub-par” health and education indicators and has a significant population of SC/ST and Backward Classes, underlining the urgent requirement for a high-quality Referral Medical Centre.

It was noted that the state government has already prepared a Detailed Project Report, identified the necessary land, and set up a government medical college in Raichur to facilitate the establishment of the national institute. The proposed AIIMS is expected to benefit multiple districts and promote socio-economic growth.

Another pressing issue discussed was the financial shortfall in the Centre's contribution to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The Karnataka government asserted that, despite achieving over 86 percent functional household tap connections, there exists a shortfall of Rs 13,004.63 crore from the central government, projected until 2025-26.

The memorandum indicated that for the current fiscal year (2025-26), no central funds have been allocated, while Karnataka has already advanced Rs 1,500 crore from its own budget to avert project delays.

“Outstanding bills amounting to Rs 1,700 crore are pending, with an additional Rs 2,600 crore awaiting approval, necessitating an urgent appeal for the release of remaining funds,” the statement elaborated.

Following recent farmer protests, the state government informed PM Modi that they had negotiated a solution by instituting an extra payment of Rs 100 per tonne of sugarcane, with the state covering half the cost (Rs 50).

However, the memorandum stressed this is merely a temporary measure, placing the responsibility for a lasting solution on the Centre. It made three pivotal requests: an immediate revision of the frozen Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar, currently at Rs 31 per kg; an assured offtake of ethanol from Karnataka's distilleries; and a central notification enabling states to determine harvesting and transport costs.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought the Prime Minister's assistance to resolve the stalemate surrounding numerous irrigation and drinking water projects.

He urged the Centre to instruct the Central Water Commission (CWC) to expedite the approval for the balancing reservoir project (Makedatu project) on the Cauvery River and requested the gazette notification of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) award, which has been pending for over a decade.

Additionally, he requested the release of Rs 5,300 crore in central assistance announced in the 2023-24 Union Budget for the Upper Bhadra project and sought necessary forest and wildlife clearances from the Environment Ministry for drinking water projects in the Hubballi-Dharwad region related to the Kalasa-Bandura project.

In light of the severe natural calamity caused by unprecedented rainfall and riverine floods this year, the state submitted two memorandums seeking support from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The floods impacted crops over 14.5 lakh hectares, affecting 19 lakh farmers and destroying numerous homes, roads, and schools.

The financial aid requested comprises: Rs 614.9 crore under 'Rescue and Relief' to cover crop input subsidy shortfalls, and Rs 1,521.67 crore under 'Recovery and Reconstruction' to restore damaged public infrastructure.

The state government expressed optimism for a favorable response to its demands, aimed at addressing both urgent crises and long-term developmental needs, as concluded in the statement.