Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday held a pre-cabinet meeting and said his government had taken a decision to implement all the five poll guarantees. Siddaramaiah, who returned to power for the second term, has already given 'in-principle' approval for the Congress party's five guarantees given to people ahead of the assembly elections.
Speaking on the poll guarantees, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the government had a commitment and it should be implemented in a systematic manner. "The cabinet will take a decision on Friday."
In its election manifesto, the Congress promised 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kilograms of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth, Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders for two years (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
In his first cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah accorded 'in-principle' approval to implement the party's five guarantees and said initial estimates indicated they would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore annually. "It's agreed upon. We will not go back (on the promises)," the chief minister said.
Siddaramaiah said the initial estimation of the government was that the implementation of the poll promises would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore a year.
During the campaigning, Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi repeatedly assured the voters that these five guarantees would be approved in the first Cabinet meeting on the first day of coming to power.
Noting that the budget size of Karnataka is Rs 3.1 lakh crore, Siddaramaiah said: "I don’t think it’s impossible for our government to raise Rs 50,000 crore a year (for the five guarantees)." He said he was confident that without entrapping the state in debts, his government would implement all the guarantee schemes.
"When we are paying Rs 56,000 crore (annually) as interest on our loan, can’t we spend Rs 50,000 crore for our people?" he argued. "We have given approval in principle. I will come out with details in the next Cabinet meeting," he had said on May 20.