Karnataka guarantees: DKS says govt working on it; Jarkiholi warns of ‘conditions’
When will the Congress’s five poll “guarantees” to Karnataka be implemented? That’s the question topmost on the minds of many voters who have just elected the new Congress government in the state.
While Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Monday (May 29), without mentioning any deadline, that the “responsible government” would fulfil all guarantees, minister Satish Jarkiholi said in Belagavi the day before that the guarantees would be implemented on a priority basis, but “conditions” would apply.
June 1 Cabinet meet
Shivakumar said the guarantees would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on June 1. “There is a Cabinet meeting on June 1. The chief minister has the responsibility of the finance department. He will discuss the matter with officials and bring the relevant information to the Cabinet. We will keep our promise. We will have to do it systematically, and preparations are on,” Shivakumar said.
Also read: Karnataka Cabinet: CM keeps Finance, DKS gets Irrigation and Bengaluru Devt, Parameshwara Home
Pressure has been mounting on the new Congress government by Opposition parties and various sections of people across the state to fulfil its five poll guarantees. In the maiden Cabinet meeting on May 20, soon after the swearing-in of the chief minister, deputy chief minister, and eight other ministers, the government accorded “in-principle” approval to the five guarantees.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had told reporters that day that the guarantees would “most likely” be implemented after the next Cabinet meeting. In the meantime, some villagers have refused to pay electricity bills and women have been refusing to buy tickets on public transport buses
The Congress’s five guarantees included 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 as monthly assistance to the female head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of free rice to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 monthly for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the 18-25 age group) (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
Jarkiholi’s caution
However, KPCC working president Jarkiholi said on Sunday that there will be “conditions” in the implementation of the schemes. “We will implement our pre-poll guarantees in all earnest. However, it is neither possible nor feasible to give these benefits to all,” he said at a public meeting in Bailur near Kittur.
Also read: Fulfill election promises or face protests across Karnataka: BJP warns Cong govt
Admitting that party workers had distributed guarantee cards among voters by going door to door during the poll campaign, he said some of the benefits, like cash incentives, would be given only to the poor. “However, some benefits may be available to all,” he added.
“Some guarantees obviously cannot be given to people such as high-net-worth individuals, income tax payers, government employees, etc.,” he said, reminding people that even the Centre had asked citizens to give up LPG subsidy if they could afford to do so. He said all details will be ready by the next Cabinet meeting.
Siddaramaiah, who expanded his Cabinet on Saturday by inducting 24 new ministers, allocated portfolios to all of them late in the night. Shivakumar said all ministers, including him, would begin their work on Monday.
(With agency inputs)
