The Congress’s five guarantees – the electoral issue on which it won the Karnataka assembly elections – were “in principle” passed within hours of the new cabinet being formed. However, questions are being raised on the basis of qualifying for the five guarantees.
Read this also | Congress’s five ‘guarantees’ in Karnataka could cost the state exchequer Rs 50,000 crore
There is a need to give clarity on who can avail the benefits of the scheme, what will be the time frame for implementation and how funds will be generated for its quick and effective implementation.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that his new cabinet consisting of eight ministers and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has given in-principle approval to implement the five guarantees. “We will soon work out the modalities and finer details on finance and implementation. As promised, we have fulfilled our promise in the first cabinet meeting itself.
News18 spoke to newly appointed Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge about how his government plans to fulfill the promises made to the people of Karnataka. He said that the five plans are not only ambitious and pioneering projects for Karnataka, but also aimed at making Karnataka an economically strong, prosperous and secure Karnataka.
Kharge said that in the meeting, the cabinet allocated schemes to the departments and asked them to outline an economic and working model for effective implementation. “Any scheme, be it by the state or the central government, comes with riders, doesn’t it? This is public money and it will be audited. Even MNREGA has a social audit.. Why is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making so much hue and cry?’
“Tell me which public welfare scheme has not been plagued by criticism or teething hurdles? see the big picture. We are here to bring about a change, one that will empower, uplift economically and set a benchmark for other states to emulate.”
A lowdown on the five guarantees and how Congress plans to implement them:
Griha Jyoti Yojana
Under this scheme Congress has promised 200 units free electricityTo all the families
Question: How does the government plan to calculate who will get free electricity?
Kharge informed that no house will be charged for consuming less than 200 units of electricity. He said, “If a house records even 0.1 point more than 200 units, then that family will have to pay the bill for the entire amount.”
Read this also | Siddaramaiah takes charge as Chief Minister of Karnataka, orders Rs 2k aid for women, free rice for BPL households. key points
He further explained that the idea behind these people-friendly schemes is to first target the below poverty line (BPL) families, then the low-income families, as this is where the strength of any state lies, And it is the responsibility of the government to fulfill their economic needs and ensure all kinds of help.
He further clarified that 84% of Karnataka consumes less than 200 units, and everyone including APL and BPL families are eligible. He said that the target is to uplift the BPL families first. “So if one includes only BPL families, it reduces the list by 40%. We need to work out the modalities,” he said.
According to the government, Rs 1,200 crore It is necessary to implement Griha Jyoti Yojana.
GRIHA LAKSHMI YOJANE
The objective of this women centric scheme is to provide Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to women healthD of each family.
questions: Who qualifies as the female lead? does he need to get married? How does she prove that she is the head of the family?
The minister clarified that the “eldest woman of the household” would be eligible. Here we have asked the concerned department to give the details that who can avail the benefits of this scheme.
“For example, technically my mother should get the benefit in my household. If I live separately and my mother lives separately, my wife and mother can take advantage because it is two separate families.” BPL family and low-income group.
Youth Fund Scheme
This scheme states that every unemployed graduate youth can take advantage of this Rs 3,000 per monthH. Unemployed Diploma holders in the age group of 18-25 can avail this Rs 1,500 per monthh for two years.
The terms and conditions for the scheme will be issued separately, but the scheme can be availed “for a maximum period of two years”, the government order said.
questions: How does one calculate how many youths are eligible for the scheme? What checks and balances will there be to ensure that the scheme reaches the unemployed and is not misused where once a youth gets a job, the scheme is automatically closed in his name? Around 4.5 lakh youth graduate from Karnataka every year, and another 50,000 diploma students. Till when they can avail the benefits of the scheme?
“This is a one-of-its-kind scheme, and we hope that the youth will get jobs within a time period of two years. There will be a thorough investigation of their placement. It cannot be denied that this may lead to leakages where we cannot know if any youth has got a job and is also availing the benefits of the scheme, but the percentage is very less,” Kharge said. explained.
Experts say it is learned that the labor department will also have to keep a close watch on applicants and their status to ensure that there is no misuse.
On when it will be effective, the minister clarified that it will happen in this academic year as his government has just come to power.
power plan
Under this scheme women can travel freely in state transport buses.
questions: Is it local travel or interstate? Will there be any condition on which of the women can avail the benefits of this scheme?
To this, the minister said that it would be open only for local travel using the four state public transport bus services – Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Bus Transport Corporation (BMTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC). will be applicable for ), and Kalyana Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KKSTRC).
Read this also | Karnataka CM swearing-in ceremony: Hours after taking oath, Siddaramaiah orders implementation of two schemes
“Local travel is free for women in these buses. In this scheme, we will be agnostic about APL and BPL as it is meant to make travel easy for women at local level. To clarify, if a woman wants to travel interstate, like Airavat (interstate luxury bus service), she will have to pay the ticket fare,” Kharge explained.
Anna Bhagya Scheme
The Congress manifesto promised that the government would provide 10 kg of rice to each member of the BPL family free of cost, consisting of six grains or cereals such as rice, millet, wheat, etc.).
“A total of 10 kg will be given to a BPL family; This also includes the Central Food Scheme,” Kharge said.
The Center also provides free rice supply scheme for the poor under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), in which a BPL family can get five kilos of rice per person.
Preliminary estimates indicate that overall Rs 50,000 crore The guarantee will need to be met annually, and the government will work out ways to generate income to meet it.
“We are also looking at alternative revenue sources. We are coming up with out-of-the-box solutions to help generate revenue, as we aim to bring financial stability not only to households, but also to the state of Karnataka,” said the minister.
war of words
Siddaramaiah criticized the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, calling it “useless”. He specifically blamed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the state’s economic loss.
Read this also | Former Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai criticized the Siddaramaiah government for not giving Congress electoral guarantees on the first day
According to Siddaramaiah, the previous government failed to secure the state’s fair share of taxes. He highlighted that the Center still owed Karnataka ₹5,495 crore, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. He directed his criticism at the current Bommai government’s inability to receive the state’s share of taxes and for not pressuring the Center to release the recommended special allowance.
In response, former Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai hit back, pointing out a glaring difference between the Congress party’s promises and their actual actions. He emphasized that the announcements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the first cabinet did not live up to the expectations of the people. Bommai claimed that people were expecting big announcements with immediate implementation. She cited an instance where some women were promised free bus travel, but expressed disappointment in the overall announcements made by the government.