CM Siddaramaiah holds meeting on ‘guarantees’ with officials ahead of 1 June Cabinet meet

The chief minister’s office said in a statement on Monday, 29 May, adding that an official decision will be taken in this regard at the Cabinet meeting to be held on 1 June.

Senior officials of various departments including Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma participated in the meeting held on 29 May. They made presentations on the proposed implementation of the guarantees.

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Election promises

The Congress had promised in its election manifesto to implement the guarantees on the very first day of assuming power in the state.

The guarantees are:

200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti).

₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi).

10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).

₹3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and ₹1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) (YuvaNidhi).

Free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).

Pressure is building

There is mounting pressure on the new Congress government from Opposition parties and various sections of people from across the state, to fulfil its five poll guarantees.

Having accorded in-principal approval for the guarantees in the first cabinet meeting on 20 May. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said they would “most likely” be implemented after the next cabinet meeting. He had also said that initial estimates indicate it would cost the exchequer ₹50,000 crore annually.

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DK Shivakumar assures

Earlier in the day today, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said there is a “responsible government” in the state which will fulfil all the guarantees made to the people ahead of the Assembly polls.

He, however, did not specify any timeline to implement the guarantees but said the cabinet meeting on 1 June will discuss fulfilling them.

“There is a Cabinet meeting on 1 June. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has the responsibility of the finance department. He will discuss with officials and bring the relevant information to the cabinet. We will keep up our promise. We will have to do it systematically and preparations are on,” Shivakumar said.

He said, “There is a responsible government in the state, and it will keep up the promises made to its people, and there is no need to worry.”

BJP attacks

However, senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai accused the Congress of cheating voters after coming to power. By trying to attach conditions to the guarantees that it had promised to fulfil.

Expressing doubts about the ruling Congress implementing the guarantees fully as promised, the former CM said their true colours will be exposed in a few days.

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