Is the State's Contribution to Namma Metro 80% While the Centre's is Only 20%?

Bengaluru, Aug 10 (NationPress) Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated on Sunday that the state's share in the Namma Metro project is a significant 80 percent, whereas the Central government's involvement stands at a mere 20 percent.

While addressing the media at his residence in Sadashivanagar, he expressed, "I will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate a minimum of Rs 1 lakh crore for Bengaluru. The Centre had committed to covering 50 percent of the land acquisition costs for the Metro initiative but has yet to fulfill this promise. Nevertheless, we proceeded with the project in the city's interest. Despite Bengaluru being the second-largest tax contributor, it receives very little in return."

He further remarked, "Ahmedabad receives 20 percent in tax devolution, while Bengaluru only gets 10 percent. It's imperative that Bengaluru receives equal treatment compared to other major cities such as Delhi. We're not engaging in politics here; we're simply making a request," added Shivakumar.

He criticized the BJP by stating that the party has not contributed even Rs 10 in funds for Karnataka. "BJP asserts it has done everything, yet no BJP MP has secured even Rs 10 in funding for Bengaluru. They should feel embarrassed. The Union Jal Shakti Minister has occasionally been responsive to our appeals. We haven't even received MGNREGA funds," noted the Deputy Chief Minister.

Shivakumar continued, "Some BJP MPs seem to believe that tweeting and media exposure equate to achievements. MPs must prioritize public welfare over politics and PR." He expressed frustration over the Centre's neglect of Karnataka, stating, "We have respectfully invited the Prime Minister. We have introduced an innovative double-decker project that could serve as a model for other Metro systems."

Bengaluru generates one lakh new IT jobs each year, and the Metro Yellow line will greatly benefit the IT corridor. The Electronic City flyover was also completed during the administration of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Shivakumar revealed.

In response to BJP's claims regarding the Central government's contributions to Metro phases 2 and 3, he said, "There has been no contribution. The groundwork for this project began under former Chief Minister late S.M. Krishna and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Let the Union government disclose its funding data, and I will present our figures as well."

Shivakumar concluded by expressing gratitude to Infosys Delta, Biocon, and other enterprises that played a role in developing the Metro Yellow line stations.