Bengaluru : Karnataka Government formally launched in Kalabuagi home turf of Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge, its Gruha Jyothi scheme that promised up to 200 units of free electricity to every household in the state. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who officially launched the Gruha Jyothi scheme by symbolically handing over ‘zero bills’ to 10 consumes, cm in his speech dared BJP to implement similar poll guarantees in the BJP ruled states if they indeed cared for the poor. Taking dig at BJP, Siddaramaiah said people talk a lot about the Gujrat model, “we don’t need the Gujrat model. We have begun Karnataka model. “PM had said if the guarantee schemes are implemented, the state will go bankrupt, but Karnataka is strong enough financially to fulfil the promises we have made to the people” he added.
With the rollout of Gruha Jyothi, the state government has so far implemented three of the five poll guarantees issued by the Congress. The other two being Shakti, which offers free ride for all women passengers on state run buses, and Anna Bhagya, which hands out a monthly cash payment of Rs 170 per member in families that are below the poverty line (BPL), in lieu of 5 kg of rice.
Addressing huge congregation on his home turf Kharge said, “If this country must be safe, Congress will have to return to power and INDIA (the alliance of anti-BJP parties) will have to come to power in the Parliament.” Congress marked the launch of the Gruha Jyothi scheme as high-octane event, trying its best to draw maximum political mileage from the such a populist scheme.
Deputy CM and KPCC President DK Shivakumar , addressing the Gruha Jyothi launch programme said, “ I want to ask Prime Minister Modi, you have waived lakhs of crores of industrialists’ loans, Wont that trigger bankruptcy ?”, He further said that Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and West Bengal CM Mamta Banerje had said that pressure was mounting on them to launch free schemes in their states as well.
Enegy Minister KJ George said over 2.1crores households are likely to benefit from the power scheme. “About 1.4 crore households have already registered . Those who register by August 27 will be benefited when they get their bills for August in September first week,” he added.
CM Siddarmaiah announced that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme will be launched on August 24. “The 1.28 crore families (women heads) in the state will get monthly allowance of rs 2000 each under this scheme,” he confirmed. Siddaramaih also said that Yuva Nidhi scheme what promises to provide rs 3000 every month to each unemployed graduate and rs 1500 to each unemployed diploma holder in the state, will be launched by the end of December of January next year.
