Siddaramaiah denies favouritism charge over Rs 72-crore grants for OBC organisations

Former CM Siddaramaiah defended a Rs 71.8 crore preliminary approval for community halls and hostels, dismissing bias claims. He explained that the higher allocation to Kuruba organizations stemmed from more applications, not favoritism. Funds are allocated based on a continuous reservation formula, with final release contingent on stringent documentation and progress reviews.

By MANUAIYAPPA KANATHANDA