Karnataka: State met 80% of metro project cost, Centre gave only 20%, says Dy CM Shivakumar

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the state’s Congress regime met 80% of the metro project cost, while the BJP-led Centre gave just 20%, rejecting the BJP’s claims that metro projects gained momentum after PM Narendra Modi extended support.

At some places of the metro project in the state, the Centre’s support was just 11% of the cost, he said, speaking to the media. “There is no contribution. All this started during SM Krishna and Vajapayee's time. Let them release the data on their contribution, I will release the numbers too," he said in response to a query on BJP's comments hailing Modi's contribution to metro phase 2 and 3.

The BJP made a big splash ahead of the PM’s visit to Bengaluru to kick off the metro’s much-delayed yellow line. BJP state president BY Vijayendra said it was Modi commitment to Bengaluru that helped the metro gain pace.


The Centre should have given us 50% of cost for the land acquisition, but the state government has met the entire cost of land acquisition. Though Bengaluru is the second highest tax-paying city in the country, the grants it had been receiving from the centre was measly, Shivakumar said.

The BJP makes tall claims, but no BJP MP has got even Rs 10 in the form of Centre’s support for Bengaluru. They should be ashamed of themselves. Only the union Jal Shakthi minister (MoS V Somanna) has been responsive at times to our requests, the Dy CM said.

Ahmedabad, he added, was getting 20% share of its taxes, but we (Bengaluru) are getting just 10%. The Centre must treat Bengaluru at a par with Delhi and consider supporting the city, he said.

In a post on X, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said, Dr Manmohan Singh government bore a significant portion of the metro cost in the first phase, outpacing the state’s contribution. But after the BJP came to power, the Centre’s commitment to the project dwindled. The state government, he said, has shouldered the bulk of the expenses, contributing over ₹12,000 crores, covering land acquisition cost and additional expenses. In contrast, the Central Government has provided a paltry ₹8,000 crores, effectively washing its hands off its responsibilities.