Bengaluru: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state unit president “Mukhyamantri” Chandru has urged the Karnataka government to push the central government to recover arrears of royalties on mineral-rich lands, similar to the approach taken by Jharkhand.
The recent Supreme Court ruling allowing states to recover these arrears presents a significant opportunity for Karnataka to secure substantial revenue. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already called for action to obtain these outstanding amounts.
Following the court verdict, Jharkhand is estimated to be owed ₹1.36 lakh crore. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has announced plans to use this money for the development of his state and the welfare of its people.
Chandru believes Karnataka should follow Jharkhand’s example and press the central government to recover the state’s due royalties. He argues that this would provide a significant boost to Karnataka’s economy and could be used to fund various development projects.