BENGALURU: While BJP has been baying for the newly-minted Congress government’s blood over its five guarantees, BJP MLC Adagur Vishwanath caused a stir in the opposition camp on Wednesday, saying, “The opposition should not create any chaos and allow Congress to do its job. Obviously, systems need to be put in place before these schemes are rolled out. Let us be calm and allow them to execute the promises made.’’
He recalled that in the seventies, just like these measures, the Anganwadis were an extremely futuristic welfare scheme started in T Narasipur by B Rachaiah, who went on to become a minister and later a governor. The Union government was so impressed with the scheme that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi inaugurated it and implemented it in 1975, he added.
Vishwanath, who served as primary and secondary education minister and is said to be the brain behind the Yashaswini Health Scheme that was implemented when SM Krishna was chief minister, said, “People are burdened with school and college fees of children and healthcare expenses that are high. The government needs to work on making quality education and healthcare affordable.”
He said the government should ensure that fake seeds, pesticides and fertilisers that affect farmers directly are weeded out. The government should ensure that farmers have access to subsidised loans too, he suggested.
On Congress guarantees bleeding the state’s finances, economist Dr Narender Pani said, “These are welfare measures aimed at growth and development and should be encouraged.
These are not so much freebies as necessities. Real freebies are when land is given to rich industrialists or the IT sector at throwaway prices when they can well afford to buy land at market value. Giving food and doles to the unemployed should not be criticised.’’