State rolls out all five guarantee schemes

To cost Karnataka exchequer an estimated Rs. 50,000 crore annually; CM keeps cost factor close to his chest

• ‘Gruha Jyothi’ from July 1: Likely cost: Rs. 12,000 cr. to Rs. 15,000 cr. per year
• ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ from Aug. 15: Likely cost: Rs. 24,000 crore per year
• ‘Shakthi’ from June 11: Likely cost: Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000 crore per year
• ‘Anna Bhagya from July 1: Likely cost: Rs. 10,000 crore per year
• ‘YuvaNidhi’ scheme in phases: Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 1,300 crore per year

Caption: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, flanked by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara (left), is seen addressing a press meet yesterday.

Bengaluru, June 3 (Agencies)- The Congress Government will implement all the five guarantees in the current financial year, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said on Friday. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar along with a host of  Cabinet colleagues.

Siddharamaiah made the announcement after he chaired a Cabinet meeting yesterday noon. He said that the five schemes will be rolled out in a phased manner after identifying the beneficiaries and processing the applications wherever required. “We promised to deliver these guarantees soon after the Cabinet meeting and we will walk the talk on this promise,” the CM said.

“The Government has taken utmost care to avoid misuse of the facilities being extended and the misuse of funds while implementing these five guarantees for the benefit of the poor and middle class,” he added.

Gruha Jyothi

The scheme to provide 200 units free electricity per month to domestic households, including tenants, will be implemented from July 1, the CM said.

Under the scheme, the free power will be given based on the users’ consumption pattern in the last 12 months. For example, if a household has consumed 100 units of electricity on an average in the last 12 months, the user will be entitled to 100 units of free electricity up to 200 units every month this year.

The Government has also provided a buffer of 10 percent from the 200-unit cap, to avoid problems. However, the arrears till July have to be borne by users.

Gruha Lakshmi

The costliest of all schemes accounting for 50 percent of the total expenditure, Gruha Lakshmi, which offers Rs. 2,000 per month to women heads of family, will be implemented from                        Aug, 15, the CM said.

He said applications can be submitted from June 15 to July 15. The scheme will be applicable to both BPL and APL card holders, he added.

Women availing social security, old age or disability pension are also eligible. As an Independence Day ‘gift’, the Government aims to release Rs. 2,000 to the beneficiaries from Aug. 15.

Anna Bhagya

Under the scheme, 10 kg of food grains will be given to every member of a BPL household and Antyodaya card holders from July 1. This will include the 5 kg of free food grains that was given under the previous  BJP Government.

Shakti Yojana

Women and transgenders can travel for free in Government buses, other than in luxury, AC classes from June 11. The scheme applies to all four transport corporations, including Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), and for travel only within Karnataka.

To identify the beneficiaries, the Government will also roll out ‘zero sum’ passes to women during journeys. It has also reserved 50 percent of seats for men in KSRTC and removed any sort of reservation in BMTC buses.

YuvaNidhi

Unemployed youngsters who graduated in 2022-23, will be provided an unemployment dole of Rs. 3,000, and diploma holders Rs. 1,500 — for 24 months from the date of registration, the CM said. With just around five lakh beneficiaries, this Nidhi scheme is the cheapest among the five guarantees. The graduates will also be given 6 months of grace period to find employment.

Although the CM did not disclose the expenditure that the five schemes will incur, sources in the Government have pegged their annual cost at Rs. 50,000 crore – Rs. 60,000 crore. “I will not discuss the financial modalities now. I will present all the details during the Budget Session in July,” Siddharamaiah said.