Won’t stop guarantees, says CM on MLA remark

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the five guarantee schemes wouldn’t be continued come what may.

The clarification comes in the backdrop of the Congress MLA from Magadi HC Balakrishna on Tuesday saying they might consider halting the guarantee schemes if the Grand Old Party performed poorly in the Lok Sabha elections.

Balakrishna had said in a speech in his constituency that if the Congress didn’t bag a good number of seats in the general elections, then it would be interpreted that people had chosen ‘akshate’ over the guarantees.

‘Akshate’ refers to the rice mixed with turmeric and ghee that was distributed by Hindutva ideologues in the lead up to the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22.

“The guarantee schemes are for the poor. They will definitely be continued,” Siddaramaiah told mediapersons.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar alleged that Balakrishna’s statement was being twisted.

“Balakrishna has not given any such statement. It is the BJP that is spreading the rumour that guarantee schemes will stop after the election,” he said.

The five guarantees include Gruha Jyoti Yojane which provides free power to households that consume less than 200 units of electricity, Gruha Lakshmi Yojane under which Rs2,000 is wired every month to “woman head of every household” and revival of the Anna Bha g ya scheme that promises 10 kgs of rice monthly to Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders.

Currently, the State government is providing cash in lieu of its five kilograms of rice, The remaining five kilograms is provided under a programme of the Centre.