BENGALURU: PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s suggestion to the Congress high command that the guarantees should be revised to save around Rs 20,000 crore that could be utilised for development works has kicked up a storm.
According to Jarkiholi, rich families, despite getting the benefits under guarantees, are mocking Congress. By revisiting the guarantees, allegations of opposition parties and Dalit organisations that SCSP-TSP grants are being diverted to fund the guarantees could be nullified, he suggested.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, who was in New Delhi on Wednesday, too issued a similar statement, saying the guarantees should reach BPL families. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s ministerial colleagues, including DCM DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, rushed to issue clarifications that the guarantees will not be revised.
Jarkiholi, visiting New Delhi on Tuesday, discussed the issue with AICC General Secretary, Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala. He highlighted that under the ‘Gruhalakshmi’ scheme, where Rs 2,000 is credited to the woman head of family every month, even women from rich families are claiming the money, but are taking potshots at Congress. He said the scheme should be revised with certain guidelines.
“The rich and government employees too are getting the guarantees. For instance, I too am a beneficiary of the Gruha Jyothi (free power) scheme. I conveyed the people’s opinion to the high command. But I did not suggest either to cut short or abolish the guarantees,” he said in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
“Reports in a section of the media (that guarantees will be revised) are false. I, as the party working president, and Siddaramaiah have said we have no intention of changing or cutting the guarantees. Cases of even high income earners and tax payers getting the benefits will be investigated. We are thinking of issuing ID cards to beneficiaries. Our guarantees committee will look into it,” clarified Shivakumar at the inauguration of the guarantees’ implementation committee state office at Padmanabha Nagar.
Asked if ministers are upset about lack of funds given to legislators because of the guarantees, he said, “It is a lie. Opposition parties are jealous because our government implemented such big schemes. No minister has said there is no money for development works. During SM Krishna’s time, the budget of our state was Rs 26,000 crore. Now, it is Rs 3.71 lakh crore. There is a grant for development works too. The guarantee implementation committee will check and correct if guarantees are not reaching properly.”