Siddaramaiah, who was sworn in today as the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka, announced loan waver/subsidies amounting to Rs 4409.71 crore that would benefit 1.38 crore people.

Immediately after the swearing in, Siddaramaiah held the first Cabinet meet and took the decision to waive loans availed by backward classes, minorities and SC/STs.

To bring credit to the Congress party, Siddaramaiah said he was implementing its party manifesto to provide 30 kg of rice at Rs one a month from June. This is likely to benefit 98.17 lakh people in the below poverty line category. The burden to the State exchequer is to the tune of Rs 460 crore annually. He further said the unit system practised in public distribution system is being abolished.

Siddaramaiah said to take care of milk producers in the State, he was announcing additional subsidies. They will get Rs 4/litre, from the existing subsidy of Rs 2/litre. Burden to the government is estimated to be Rs 496 crore per annum.

Subsidy for building houses in rural and urban areas also have been hiked by Rs 45,000. Siddaramaiah said it has been raised from Rs 75,000 at present to Rs 1.2 lakh under various schemes, including Indira Awas Yojna.

The new Chief Minister also announced a one-time loan waiver (arrears and interest) availed by SCs and STs through SC/ST development Corporation and Dr Ambedkar Development Corporation to the tune of Rs 349 crore and is likely to benefit 2.27 beneficiaries, Power connection to 20 lakh houses is being restored under the ‘Bhagya Jyothi’ scheme for those living below the poverty line.

The re-connection is likely to cost the State Government Rs 268 crore. For these massive loan waver/subsidies, he plans to raise resources by curbing pilferage, cut wasteful expenditure, focus on additional resource mobilisation and improved tax compliance.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah was sworn as 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka at a simple ceremony at the Kanteerava Stadium; State Governor H. R. Bhardwaj administered the oath.

A massive crow of 50,000 people from his home district Mysore and other districts like Mandya, Tumkur and Kolar took part in the function.

Senior Union Ministers — Mallikarjuna Kharge, Rehman Khan, M. Veerappa Moily, former union minister S. M. Krishna and all elected MLAs from the Congress party — took part in the swearing in ceremony.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan, Congress General Secretaries, Madhusudan Mistry, in-charge of State party affairs, Oscar Fernandes, and B. K. Hariprasad, were present.

anil.u@thehindu.co.in

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