Mysuru: Maintaining that the ‘Anna Bhagya’ Scheme was implemented to ensure that no one suffers from hunger and no one begs for food, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he introduced Five Guarantee Schemes in order to empower everyone in the society.

He was speaking after releasing Dr. D. Srinivasa Managalli edited book ‘Guarantee Yojanegalu: Badavara Surakshate mattu Kalyana’ at a programme jointly organised by the DoS in Social Work, University of Mysore (UoM), Institute for Social Workers for Action Research and Karnataka Rajya Hindulida Vargagala Jagruta Vedike at Vijnana Bhavan in Manasagangothri campus here on Saturday.

Noting that he did not introduce the Guarantee Schemes just for the sake of votes or publicity, Siddaramaiah said that the Schemes were introduced for social and economic empowerment of the people.

Observing that the society will be free of the caste system only if there is economic and social betterment, the CM highlighted the reasons on why he first introduced ‘Anna Bhagya’ Scheme for alleviating the plight of people seeking and begging for food.

Pointing out it is important that beneficiaries of the Guarantee Schemes should come out in the open and talk about its benefits, Siddaramaiah said that there will be criticisms and ridicules about everything, which have to be tolerated for doing good to the society.

Playwright K.Y. Narayanaswamy, in his address, said that the Five Guarantee Schemes have been the driving force for a large section of the society. The book is like a social audit of the Guarantee Schemes, he added. He also sought the Government to fill up all backlog vacancies in the State.

District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa said that several vested interests were attempting to oust the Siddaramaiah Government, which should be resisted with all might. Stating that the CM is striving for building an equal society, he wanted the Guarantee Schemes beneficiaries to raise their voice against those opposing the Schemes.

Kannada Development Authority Chairman Purushottam Bilimale, in his address, said that the Guarantee Schemes saved the lives of many poor people.

Arguing that PM Modi’s economic policies had taken the country downward even before the COVID pandemic, he said those who do not understand this cannot realise the significance of the Guarantee Schemes. He further said that the ‘Shakti’ Scheme which facilitates free travel for women in KSRTC buses within the State, is a first of its kind mobility schemes that the State had never witnessed before.

UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath and Dharwad’s Karnataka State Higher Education Academy Director Prof. M. Chandra Poojari too spoke.

MLC Dr. D. Thimmaiah, Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Chairman H.M. Revanna, Vice-Chairpersons Dr. Pushpa Amarnath and Suraj Hegde, Karnataka Rajya Hindulida Vargagala Jagruta Vedike President K.S. Shivaramu, the book editor Dr. Srinivasa Managalli, UoM’s DoS in Social Work Head Prof. Chandramouli, KPCC Spokesperson M. Lakshmana, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar and others were present.