The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government on Saturday cleared the Congress party's five electoral promises in the first Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet gave "in-principle" approval to implement the Congress party's five electoral promises which include free electricity and free ration.
Siddaramaiah along with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and eight other MLAs took oath of office and secrecy. In the Karnataka assembly elections held earlier this month, the Congress party ousted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), winning 135 of 224 seats.
The five electoral promises of the Congress party are expected to cost Rs 50,000 per year, said Siddaramaiah.
What did Siddaramaiah say?
The Karnataka government in its first Cabinet meeting on Saturday gave "in-principle" approval to implement the party's five guarantees, said Siddaramaiah.
"It's agreed upon. We will not go back (on the promises)," said Siddaramaiah, adding, the assurances would be fulfilled notwithstanding financial implications, if any.
Siddaramaiah said initial estimation of the government is that the implementation of the poll promises would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore a year.
Noting that the budget size of Karnataka is Rs 3.1 lakh crore, Siddaramaiah said: "I don't think it's impossible for our government to raise Rs 50,000 crore a year (for the five guarantees)".
"I am confident that without entrapping the state in debts and without pushing the State into financial bankruptcy, we will implement all the guarantee schemes," he said. "When we are paying Rs 56,000 crore (annually) as interest on our loan, can't we spend Rs 50,000 crore for our people?"
"We have given approval in principle. I will come out with details in the next Cabinet meeting. I have instructed to issue orders. We will get details, discuss financial implications and then we will do it for sure. Whatever the financial implications may be, we will fulfil these five guarantee schemes," Siddaramaiah said.
When asked why these aspects were not considered before making the promises, Siddaramaiah asserted that his party would not go back on its word to the people.
What are the five promises?
The five promises of the Congress parties are:
- 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti)
- Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi)
- 10 kilograms of rice free to every member of a below poverty line (BPL) household (Anna Bhagya)
- Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders aged 18-25 for two years (YuvaNidhi)
- Free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti)
Political observers said the promise of guarantees found resonance with the people during the campaigning, particularly women, and played a key role in the stupendous victory of the Congress in the Assembly polls.
During the campaigning for the May 10 elections, Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi repeatedly assured the voters that these five guarantees would be approved in the first Cabinet meeting on the first day of coming to power.
(With PTI inputs)
