BENGALURU, 20 OCT

State Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed strong discontent over the central government's recent allocation of flood relief funds, claiming that states not affiliated with the BJP consistently receive less financial support.

Kharge, who oversees the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolio, said the sum allocated for the State, amounting to Rs 384.40 crore, is insufficient given the extensive damage reported from this year's monsoon flooding.

"Despite being one of the highest GST-collecting states and contributing over 8.9 per cent to the nation’s GDP, the State faces unfair treatment in the devolution of funds," Kharge stated. He further asserted that the BJP-ruled states are favoured, while those aligned differently are "always short-changed."

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah had approved a total of Rs 1,950.80 crore as the second instalment of the central share of the State Disaster Response Fund for 2025-26, with Maharashtra receiving a significantly larger portion of Rs 1,566.40 crore.

Kharge insisted that, according to NDRF norms, the State’s allocation is inadequate to meet the state's urgent needs.