Karnataka welfare model inspired Trump’s $5K proposal: DKS

Chief minister DK Shivakumar has held up US President Donald Trump’s proposal to give $5,000 to every adult American citizen as an example of how the welfare model developed by the Congress government in the state was gaining international recognition

Chief minister DK Shivakumar has held up US President Donald Trump’s proposal to give $5,000 to every adult American citizen as an example of how the welfare model developed by the Congress government in the state was gaining international recognition.

US President Donald Trump

Speaking at the KPCC office during a former BJP MLA NL Narendrababu’s induction into the Congress, Shivakumar claimed the government’s guarantee schemes had established Karnataka as a model for other states and were now being echoed in Trump’s proposal.

“Opposition parties said guarantee schemes could not be implemented. But today, because of the guarantees, we have become a model for the country. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and other states have copied the Karnataka model. Now Trump of America is also copying it. He is saying that he will vote for me and give me dollars. Our idea is becoming familiar to the whole world,” he said.

Shivakumar was referring to Trump’s recent promise to give $5,000 to every adult American citizen if the Republican Party retains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. He drew a parallel between the proposal and the direct benefits offered through Karnataka’s guarantee schemes.

The chief minister said the Congress government’s programmes had received broad acceptance and were being implemented without restricting them to a particular political or social group. “We are providing guarantee schemes to all parties and castes. We are providing food grains to 4.44 crore people. For that, the strength of the Congress is the strength of the country, its history,” he said.

Shivakumar also referred to welfare measures being implemented in other states while contrasting them with Karnataka’s approach. “In the state of Assam, guarantee schemes are being given only to a few people. The Congress party implemented SCP and TSP. Bus passes are being given free to students. We have delivered the government to the doorsteps of the people. We are doing public service,” he said.

Shivakumar said the government’s efforts were intended to make public services accessible directly to people. He also said the success of the programmes would depend on how legislators used the opportunities available to them. “I don’t know how the MLAs will use this. I will also make it as successful as possible,” he said.