Alleging that a ₹225-crore “government-sponsored” loot had taken place in the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme involving a group of officials and politicians, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok on Thursday demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be constituted to probe the irregularities.

Addressing a press conference, he said the government had maintained silence on the episode though the CAG report had clearly mentioned about the scam.

“Payments under Gruha Lakshmi have been made to several fake accounts, and a big group of officials and politicians is behind it,” he alleged.

“It has been found that 2.11 lakh beneficiaries, who are receiving the money under the scheme, are actually dead. Details of another 77,000 people, who are receiving the money under the scheme, are yet to be traced,” he said.

He further alleged that the government had stopped payment of social security pensions to about 16 lakh beneficiaries owing to shortfall in revenue collection.

‘KRS water released tacitly’

Mr. Ashok accused the Congress government in Karnataka of deceiving farmers by tacitly releasing water from KRS reservoir to Tamil Nadu to please its alliance partner TVK.

He maintained that the water level in KRS reservoir had depleted as the government was secretly releasing water to Tamil Nadu.

“The KRS presently has a storage of just 81.03 per cent as against full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. But as against the inflow of 689 cusecs, the outflow is 1,886 cusecs. This means an excessive amount of water is being released to Tamil Nadu though the State itself is reeling under deficit rainfall and farmers are anquished as they are unable to save their crop. In June, 9.19 tmcft of water has to be released to Tamil Nadu (as per the Tribunal order). Hence Karnataka is secretly releasing water to the neighbouring State,” he said.

“In such circumstances, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar should have convened an all-party meeting to discuss the issue,” he wondered.

Bidadi second phase of struggle

Mr. Ashok announced that the BJP would take up a second phase of struggle against Bidadi Township Project. “We have already discussed the issue with our party Central leaders and details regarding the struggle would be chalked out soon,” he said.