Newly sworn-in Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, July 28, said that he wanted to follow the thought process with which his predecessor BS Yediyurappa introduced welfare schemes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bommai, after being announced as Yediyurappa’s successor, told the media that he will work with the latter’s guidance. “Former CM Yediyurappa has taken tough decisions for people’s welfare and also introduced many welfare schemes in the budget while braving an economic crisis during the pandemic. When I said that I will work with his guidance, I mean I want to use the same rationale as his while introducing and implementing welfare policies,” said Bommai while dismissing speculation of him still being under Yediyurappa’s shadow. “We want the people to know that the government is for the welfare of people,” he said, adding that he is simply a team leader and that he wants to lead the team.
After days of speculation over Yediyurappa’s exit and who his successor would be, Bommai was unanimously elected by the BJP legislature party on July 27 to lead the Karnataka government as Chief Minister. The announcement was made in the presence of BJP National President JP Nadda, Karnataka in-charge and national secretary Arun Singh, Yediyurappa and other legislators of the party.
Soon after he took oath as the new CM, Bommai held a meeting with senior officials and also announced a new welfare scheme. He announced a scholarship for children of farmers across the state. Without divulging many details about the Rs 1000 crore scheme, he said that it has been introduced to ensure that children of farmers receive an education. He then announced that under the Sandhya Suraksha scheme, elderly women will now receive Rs 1,200 every month from Rs 1000 earlier. The scheme has 8 lakh beneficiaries.
“Under the widow pension scheme, we have increased the monthly amount from Rs 600 to Rs 800 to those eligible, benefitting 17 lakh beneficiaries. Moreover, we have also increased the sanction for persons with disabilities in the state from Rs 600 to Rs 800 which will be benefiting nearly 4 lakh people across the state,” he announced.
Bommai said that in the coming days of his term as CM, he plans to introduce and further implement more welfare schemes for women, children, for those from backward groups. He also added he plans to cut down on the state's expenditure by at least 5% until March 31, 2022, without compromising on the state’s welfare schemes.