Congress to donate Rs 100 cr to Karnataka to buy vaccine

Congress MLAs and MPs from Karnataka have decided to donate Rs 100 crore from the Regional Development Fund to the Karnataka government to purchase Covid-19 vaccines, party leader Siddaramaiah has said.

Bengaluru: Congress MLAs and MPs have decided to give Rs 100 crore from the Regional Development Fund to the Karnataka government to purchase vaccines against COVID-19, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said on Friday.

Addressing a joint press conference with KPCC president DK Shivakumar, the former chief minister explained that the government gives a Regional Development Fund of Rs 2 crore per legislator and parliamentarian. Currently, there are 100 politicians from the Congress in power -- 95 MLAs, one Lok Sabha MP and four Rajya Sabha members. "Each of them will give Rs 1 crore," he said.

Shivakumar said given the current situation, the Congress party considers that it is its duty to stop all development work and spend the money on saving people's lives instead.

"We have decided to hand over the money to the state government. We will seek the Centre's permission to use the money. We will also ask the government to maintain transparency in all tenders relating to vaccine purchase," he said.