Bengaluru, July 20 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday said that Karnataka’s small traders and street vendors are facing problems due to the GST introduced by the BJP government at the Centre.

Speaking at an event organised to distribute government benefits to the people, he said, “Notices are being issued to all those who are doing business of over Rs 40 lakh, and notices are being issued to tender coconut sellers, vegetable vendors, etc. This is the achievement of the Union government. The traders don’t have to worry, we will take necessary actions to protect their interests.”

“We have made several appeals to the Centre for funds for the last two years, but none of the BJP MPs are speaking for the state. They are not concerned about the poor of the state. Karnataka gets only Rs 13 for every Rs 100 it gives to the Centre in the form of taxes,” he said.

“We are committed to getting Yettinahole waters to the Bengaluru North district by 2027. BJP did not bother supplying water to this region; it was the Congress which is getting water for the region. We have also decided to prepare a DPR to bring the metro to Hoskote, and we will ensure it is complete during our term,” he added.

“We have also taken steps to regularise B khatas in Bengaluru. Our government is also giving out more than one crore of patta khatas to scheduled tribes. Hoskote is a large producer of milk, and our ‘ksheera dhaare’ programme is helping dairy farmers in a big way,” he said.

Shivakumar further said that repair works at the state’s dams would be taken up on a priority basis once the technical Committee on dam safety submits its report.

He said, “We had set up a technical committee on dam safety after one of the gates at Tunga Bhadra reservoir was damaged. We will take necessary action once we receive the report.”

Responding to questions from the media about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reserving two days to hear grievances from MLAs, Shivakumar stated, “MLAs come to meet me every day. I have set aside time for them every single day.”

When asked about the statement by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, R. Ashoka, who alleged that if Bengaluru is divided into five parts and the city will be destroyed, he said, “We have already discussed this in the Assembly. We made the decision after speaking with everyone. Still, they are making political statements just for the sake of it.”

When asked about reports that the Chief Minister insulted him at the Mysuru event, he said, “The Chief Minister himself has already clarified on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. I won’t comment further on it. I am doing my work.”

–IANS

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