Karnataka cabinet approves Congress’s five poll guarantees

Free bus travel for women in Karnataka under the ‘Shakti’ scheme will begin from June 11, CM Siddaramaiah announced, along with the timelines for the implementation of the remaining schemes.
Siddaramaiah with other ministers during cabinet meeting
Siddaramaiah with other ministers during cabinet meeting
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The Karnataka government on Friday, June 2, officially approved the implementation of Congress’s five guarantee schemes for the current financial year. One of the key initiatives highlighted in the Congress campaign ahead of the recent Assembly elections is the provision of up to 200 units of free electricity to all households under the ‘Griha Jyoti’ scheme, to alleviate the burden of electricity costs. The scheme will be implemented from July 1, however, the CM clarified that consumers will have to first clear any pending bills. 

The Chief Minister held a cabinet meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss the implementation of the five guarantees the Congress party promised in its poll manifesto ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections. During the meeting, the implementation of the guarantees was approved following which the CM held a press conference at the Vidhan Soudha.

The ‘Gruha Lakshmi Yojana’, a scheme wherein an amount of Rs 2000 will be deposited directly into the accounts of eligible beneficiaries, will be implemented by August, the CM said. The Gruha Lakshmi Yojana aims to empower women heads of households. The scheme will be extended to both below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) ration card holders. Beneficiaries will have to apply for the scheme between June 15 and July 15, following which the applications will be processed and the amount will be deposited in their accounts on August 15, Siddaramaiah said.

Free bus travel for women across the state under the ‘Shakti’ scheme will begin starting June 11, the CM said, asserting that the free service would be provided in all Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses across the state, excluding air-conditioned and sleeper buses. However, 50% of seats on buses will be reserved for male passengers, he said. 

The Chief Minister further announced that 10 kilograms of food grains will be provided to the BPL and Antyodaya ration card holders under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme from July 1.

Under the ‘Yuva Nidhi’ scheme, a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 will be provided to unemployed graduates, while unemployed diploma-holders will receive Rs 1,500 per month. This scheme, spanning a duration of two years, aims to alleviate the financial burden faced by educated youth who are currently unemployed.

 

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