The Karnataka Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that all five guarantees promised by the Congress party at the time of polls will be implemented in the current financial year.

Elaborating on the details, the government said, under Gruha Jyothi, free electricity of up to 200 units will be provided, as promised. This scheme will be applicable from July 1, 2023, albeit, consumers have to pay the arrears till that day. The government will take into account the one-year average power consumption and will give free electricity up to 10 per cent more than the average usage.

Under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, ₹2,000 per month will be given to the head woman of both BPL and APL families. Beneficiaries have to apply online for the scheme and provide bank and Aadhar details and also have to declare who is the woman head of the family. Beneficiaries have to apply between, June 15 to July 15, 2023. The software will be developed and applications will be processed from July 15 and the scheme will be launched on August 15, 2023, said the government.

Other schemes

The Anna Bhagya scheme will be launched on July 1 for Antyodaya and BPL card holders. The government will provide 10 kg of rice per month, foodgrains for the month of June have already been despatched and additional food grains have to be procured, said CM. 

With the Uchita Prayana guarantee named Shakti, for women from all classes including students, can travel free of cost within the State, in all buses except AC and luxury. This scheme will be launched on June 11. This will allow women to travel in 94 per cent of the buses. Further, 50 per cent of the seats will be reserved for men in all buses.

Under the Yuva Nidhi scheme, unemployed youth will be given ₹3,000(for graduates) and ₹1,500 (for diploma holders) for 24 months from the date of registration. This will be for youngsters who have graduated in 2022-23, and the handout will be stopped if beneficiaries in that timeframe get a job. 

Congress swept to victory in Karnataka on May 13 by winning 135 of the 224 seats in the Assembly. The freebies were said to have helped them achieve the win. However, after storming back to power, apprehensions over implementation and the effect on the exchequer existed.

Criticism

Right after Congress announced the implementation, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in a press conference, criticized the government and said that the State will face financial difficulties due to freebie doles. Addressing the caveats, he pointed out that there is a difference between saying 200 units of power will be provided every month and changing it now by saying 10 per cent more than the average annual average will be given. 

Further, he said that the State government will only be giving five kgs of food grain as the Centre is already providing 5 kgs under the Food Security Act. He also said that no clarity has been provided if ragi and jowar will also be provided.

He further criticised the procedure of Gurha Laxmi and noted that most underprivileged women wouldn’t be aware of online application. The government should instead start rolling out the benefit from this month itself by obtaining information from Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) of every village, he added.