*All eyes on Freebies now
New Delhi : The stage in Karnataka is all set to welcome its new Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The swearing in ceremony would be held on 20 May in Bengaluru. Stalwart leader and the President of Karnataka PCC, DK Shivkumar has finally accepted to be the Deputy Chief Minister. But the question is will the Congress party keep up with the promises it offered to its freebies.
After the long discussions, the Karnataka Congress chief, DK Shivkumar has accepted to take up the Deputy Chief Minister’s role. According to the sources, it was only after Former President Sonia Gandhi’s intervention that DK Shivkumar accepted the Number 2 position. The oath taking ceremony is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on Saturday. The congress won a clear majority in last week’s Assembly elections, finishing with 135 seats in 224 member assembly.
The congress in Karnataka in its pre poll has promised to give various offers to its people. Every female head of the family to get Rs 2000, every diploma holder Rs 1500 per month, and graduates Rs 3000. Also every family would be provided 200 units of power for free, women free travel in buses. Apart from this 500 litres of tax free diesel for fishing every year and Rs 6000 to all marine fishermen as a lean period allowance during fishing holidays.
According to the sources, the power subsidy, cash payments etc would alone cost Rs 62,000 Crores a year. The amount spent on these free offers is as large as the fiscal deficit in the previous financial year. In Karnataka Budget the fiscal budget was Rs 60,581 Crore for 2022-23, which is 2.60% of the Gross State domestic product (GSDP).
The AICC General Secretary Surdeep Singh Surjewala has said that these offers would not cost more than 15% of the State budget. He also said the Fiscal Budget is expected to increase in the next five years. Despite Economy to grow in coming years, funding the major freebies amounting to Rs 62,000 Crores still remains an issue. The state budget will be definitely be impacted with poll promises. Now all eyes are on the party as to how would they meet these expenses. Meanwhile people and especially the women are eagerly waiting to avail these offers. It is not for the first time that such freebies are offered by the political parties. But the Financial experts feel it has always affected our Economy. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “revdi culture” was not good for economy. Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab and The Congress party in Himachal Pradesh have also offered many freebies to people.
