BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the guarantees implemented by his government will give an impetus to the economy. He was speaking at a programme organised at Vidhana Soudha to celebrate the milestone of 100 crore women passengers availing the Shakti scheme.
“BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had said that the Congress will not implement the guarantee schemes and if implemented it will lead to the state’s financial bankruptcy. However, under the Shakti scheme, more than 100 crore women are benefitted,” he said. He said there is an impression that the guarantee schemes will drain the exchequer and make the state bankrupt. “This is not true. Instead, the guarantees will give an impetus to economic growth,” he added.
The guarantee schemes are implemented for the benefit of the poor and it will increase the state’s GDP, Siddaramaiah said. He said that after the rollout of the Shakti scheme, the ridership of the road transport bus corporations has increased.
“The number of visitors to religious places and tourist spots in Karnataka has gone up after the implementation of Shakti scheme. The collection in the temple hundis has gone up. Economic activities around these places have become brisk. The money we give to people comes back to the government,” the CM said and added that the Opposition parties are spreading lies that the guarantee schemes will bankrupt the state.
He questioned the opposition if it leads to bankruptcy, then how have the economic activities boosted by the travel of over 100 crore women passengers? He claimed that no other state governments in the country have made such an achievement and that his government within six months of getting to power had done so.
SIDDU FELICITATES NINGAVVA
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah felicitated Ningavva Singadi from Sangolli, who prostrated in front of the bus door before getting into it on the day of the launch of the Shakti scheme. Ningavva’s photo had gone viral. The Chief Minister’s Gold Medal was awarded to 83 bus drivers for driving the buses without any accidents in the last 15 years of service.