Bangalore/New Delhi: Karnataka Wednesday sought a special package of Rs.85 billion (Rs.8,500 crore) from the central government to meet the infrastructure needs of Bangalore.

The state's request for the huge assistance was made to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who led a delegation of ministers, representatives of small parties and leading Kannada writers.

The Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular did not join the delegation as the main purpose of its visit to New Delhi was to raise the issue of alleged central government's failure to meet the state's fertilizer needs.

The Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government blames the central government for the fertilizer shortage. Congress and the JD-S claim that the central government has supplied the required amount and blame the state administration for improper distribution.

The delegation told the prime minister that the union fertilizer ministry had reduced the quantity of allocation for the month of July, Yeddyurappa told reporters after the meeting.

Yeddyurappa also sought classical status to Kannada language and special status to backward regions in north Karnataka.

Prior to the meeting with the prime minister, the delegation discussed Bangalore's infrastructure problems with Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, who promised to visit India's IT hub shortly to assess the situation and consider the steps to be taken, Yeddyurappa said.

 

Source : IANS