Siddaramaiah Cabinet Approves Congress Manifesto Schemes: Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuvanidhi
Karnataka State Cabinet Resolves Speculation on Congress Manifesto Guarantees; Full Implementation Confirmed
The State Cabinet of Karnataka has put an end to the speculation surrounding the implementation of pre-poll guarantees outlined in the Congress manifesto. In a decision made on Friday, the Cabinet has affirmed its commitment to implement all five guarantees during the current financial year. The implementation will commence with the launch of Shakti, a scheme offering free travel for women, scheduled to take place on June 11.
The Congress government faced pressure from opposition parties regarding the fulfillment of its guarantees, which had received preliminary approval from the first cabinet meeting held on May 19. This meeting coincided with the day Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assumed office, along with nine Cabinet Ministers, including the Deputy Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in the post-Cabinet meeting announcement on Friday (June 2), provided details about the launch dates of various schemes. Shakti, the scheme for free travel, will be inaugurated on June 11. On July 1, the Anna Bhagya scheme, offering 10 kgs of free foodgrains per person to BPL and Antyodaya cardholders, and the Gruha Jyothi scheme, providing 200 units of free power, will be introduced. The registration window for the ₹2,000 monthly incentive under Gruha Lakshmi will open on June 15, and the funds will start being transferred from August 15, coinciding with Independence Day. While the unemployment benefits scheme, Yuva Nidhi, was outlined, no specific timeline for application has been set yet.
During a media briefing on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his commitment to implementing all five guarantees within the current financial year. He emphasized that the guarantees would benefit individuals from diverse castes, communities, and linguistic groups across Karnataka. The Chief Minister was joined by Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, along with several Cabinet colleagues, during the briefing.
Addressing concerns about potential misuse of resources and funds, the Karnataka Chief Minister assured that the government has taken careful measures to prevent such misuse while implementing the five guarantees aimed at benefiting the poor and middle class.
When questioned about criticism from the Opposition regarding delays in implementing the guarantees, Mr. Siddaramaiah highlighted that his previous term witnessed the fulfillment of 158 out of 165 promises, in contrast to the BJP’s failure to honor even half of their 600 promises. He questioned the moral authority of the BJP to raise such concerns.
Regarding the total expenditure associated with the implementation of the five guarantees, the Chief Minister remained non-committal, stating that he would address the details and costs at a later time.
