Guarantees will only boost state GDP, says Siddaramaiah

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday claimed that the implementation of the five guarantees of the Congress would boost the State’s Gross Domestic Product.

He reiterated that his government was committed to universal basic income. He reasoned that if every family had Rs 5,000 to spend, it would further economic activities.

The CM made the comments after the laying of the foundation stone of a veterinary college in Kokatnur village in Athani taluk of Belagavi district. Siddaramaiah said that the guarantees would especially benefit disadvantaged sections of society.

“The five guarantees that the State government is implementing would result in farmers, the poor, women and Backward Classes (BCs) netting Rs 5,000. This will lead to economic activities. This will increase the GDP of the state,” he said.

He added that so far, 35 crore women had enjoyed free rides on government buses since the launch of the Shakti scheme. The CM also revealed that some Rs 35,000 crore would be allocated for the guarantees every year.

It is to be noted that this is regarded as a conservative figure.

The five guarantees include Gruha Jyoti Yojane which promises under 200 units of electricity to every household, Gruha Lakshmi Yojane (to be launched on August 27) under which Rs 2,000 would be wired every month to “woman head of every household” and revival of the Anna Bhagya scheme that promises 10 kgs of rice monthly to Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders.

The other two guarantees are Rs 1,500 a month to diploma holders between jobs, besides free government bus travel for women under the Shakti scheme and Yuva Nidhi Yojana, which promises Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders belonging to the 2022-23 academic year.

The latter is the only guarantee that hasn’t been implemented yet.