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Cong will replicate Karnataka model in all states: Rahul Gandhi

Aug 30, 2023 11:55 PM IST

Gandhi was speaking at the launch of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which offers a monthly assistance of ₹2,000 to about 11 million women in Karnataka.

Bengaluru: The development work carried out by the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government will be replicated across the country, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, adding that the party fulfilled key pre-poll promises made to the people of the southern state.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says development work carried out by the Karnataka government will be replicated across the country. (PTI)
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says development work carried out by the Karnataka government will be replicated across the country. (PTI)

Gandhi was speaking at the launch of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which offers a monthly assistance of 2,000 to about 11 million women who are heads of their families in Karnataka. The scheme is one of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress, which ousted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the assembly elections held in May.

“We have kept our word on promises. We never make false promises,” Gandhi said at the event in Mysuru. “The work we have done in Karnataka will be replicated across India.”

The former Congress president emphasised that the five guarantees are not just schemes; but a governance model.

He labelled the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which was launched by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as “the world’s largest cash transfer scheme,” whereby 2,000 will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of millions of women beneficiaries.

The other four poll guarantees of the Congress are: “Shakti”, which offers free travel for women in government buses in the state; “Anna Bhagya”, which offers 10 kg free rice to below poverty line (BPL) card holders; “Gruha Jyoti”, which provides 200 units of electricity free of cost per month; and “Yuva Nidhi” to give 3,000 and 1,500 stipend every month to unemployed graduates and diploma holders, respectively.

“Barring the ‘Yuva Nidhi’ scheme, the four guarantees are meant for women of the state,” Gandhi said. “We are happy to fulfil the promises given to women, and sisters on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival. Yuva Nidhi scheme will also be launched at the right time.”

The senior Congress leader said that the guarantees originated from listening to the people’s concerns during Bharat Jodo Yatra last year. He pointed out that the rising prices of essential commodities was a central concern raised during the yatra.

Recalling the comments of some senior BJP leaders ahead of the polls on the Congress’s guarantees, Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself said that we were giving false promises to the people. But within 100 days of forming the government, we have fulfilled four of our promises.”

He also took a swipe at the BJP-led Union government, accusing it of working only for a few capitalists. “Our concept is that no one should be left behind. We do not discriminate on any ground,” he said.

Besides Gandhi and Kharge, chief minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar and several Karnataka ministers were also present at the event held on Maharaja College grounds in Mysuru. The “Gruha Lakshmi” scheme was launched simultaneously at 12,000 centres across the state. District in-charge ministers inaugurated the scheme in their respective districts after it was rolled out at Mysuru.

Kharge said such welfare schemes were not implemented anywhere in the country and added that everyone was now keen to replicate Karnataka’s scheme in their states.

“PM Modi had said that our promises in Karnataka are not true. The implementation of Gruha Lakshmi is yet another proof that we walk our talk,” he added.

Siddaramaiah said the “Yuva Nidhi” scheme will be implemented in December or January. Speaking on the completion of 100 days of his government on Tuesday, the chief minister said that the government earmarked 17,500 crore for the “Gruha Lakshmi” scheme in the current financial year.

The opposition BJP in the state, however, alleged that the state government put several conditions on its schemes, thereby betraying the people.

“The Siddaramaiah government has betrayed the people by not fulfilling its promises. Before coming to power, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has announced five guarantees. However, by putting conditions on these guarantees later, the government has backtracked from its promises,” state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said.

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