BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday defended his government’s investment of over Rs 96,000 crore to implement the five guarantees as it enhanced spending power of the people, which reflected in higher GST collections, signalling broader economic gains for the State.
In a message sent to the event organised by Fiscal Policy Institute, Bengaluru, the research partners of the government, he appreciated the initiative to disseminate research findings on the government’s flagship guarantee schemes.
Siddaramaiah could not attend the event.
“The guarantee schemes evolved out of the struggles of ordinary people - women seeking dignity, youth seeking opportunity, and farmers facing distress,” the CM said.
Karnataka ranks first in the country in per capita income, having achieved an impressive 101% growth over the past decade — from Rs 1,01,858 in 2013-14 to Rs 2,04,605 in 2024-25 — reflecting the state’s sustained economic momentum and inclusive growth driven by the guarantees, he said.
“When governments invest in people, societies progress. When justice guides policy, democracy deepens. The guarantees are the living embodiment of this vision of growth with compassion, power with purpose, and governance with conscience,” he asserted.
“My conviction has always been that economic justice is the first principle of democracy. With an outlay of over Rs 96,000 crore, our five guarantees are empowering 1.24 crore women, 1.63 crore households, 4 crore people and 2.84 lakh youth. Over 580 crore free trips under Shakti have transformed women’s mobility and participation in the workforce. These are not giveaways but investment in people — a model of bottom-up growth that strengthens both the economy and social justice,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to academic and research partners King’s College London, XKDR Forum, Indus Action, Lokniti-CSDS, Azim Premji University, and JustJobs Network, for empirical research and insights into socio-economic outcomes of the guarantees.