Bengaluru, Sep 23 BJP legislators on Wednesday demanded in the Karnataka Assembly that the five guarantees be scrapped and the funds diverted towards drought relief and ensuring adequate power supply to farmers.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asked them which scheme should be scrapped when farmers were also among the beneficiaries.
The discussion on the guarantees began with BJP MLA Siddu Savadi highlighting the plight of farmers facing frequent power cuts, which were making it difficult for them to operate motor pumps and save their standing crops.
Karnataka’s five flagship Guarantee schemes are Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi.
“I earnestly request the CM to give some guarantee to the farmers. Stop the guarantees and use the guarantee money to purchase electricity and provide it to farmers. Give only as much as you have assured. We are not asking for anything more than what you have promised,” Savadi said.
In reply, Shivakumar pointed out that farmers’ families were also benefiting from the guarantee schemes.
“We are giving Rs 2,000 every month to the wives of farmers under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. Under the Gruha Jyoti scheme, farmers are availing free electricity up to 200 units. We are also giving 10 kg of rice free of cost to farmers under the Anna Bhagya scheme. Please clarify which guarantee should be stopped. We will consider that,” Shivakumar said.
Joining the discussion, BJP MLA Suresh Gowda said he had been stating since the guarantees were launched that their benefits should be restricted to poor people and not extended to the affluent.
He said women from affluent families were also availing themselves of free bus travel under the Shakti scheme.
“If rich people in higher positions also avail free bus travel, how will we run the government? In such a drought situation, my suggestion is to exclude the affluent and use that money for drought relief,” Gowda said.
Shivakumar asked him to define who should be considered affluent, to which Gowda said only BPL cardholders should receive the benefits of the guarantees.
“Define who is affluent and who is poor. Give us one criterion. We will take your suggestion. Are you saying that apart from BPL cardholders, the benefits should be withdrawn from everyone else? Say that clearly,” Shivakumar asked.
Gowda replied, “Yes, I am saying it boldly. In such a drought situation, give it to the poor and exclude the rich.”
Shivakumar then asked, “Who are the poor?”
Savadi said the government could determine who qualified for the benefits as it was the authority that issued BPL cards.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka intervened and insisted that the government should fulfil the promises made in its manifesto, including the five guarantees.
Shikaripura MLA and BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said the government itself had curtailed several schemes and was scrutinising BPL cards.
Shivakumar then asked Ashoka and Vijayendra to allow the BJP MLAs to express their views on the continuation of the five guarantees.
Savadi said farmers were suffering losses of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh as their crops were drying up, prompting him to demand that the funds allocated for the guarantees be used to address the farmers’ problems.
Minister Laxman Savadi then joined the discussion and said there had been a discussion within the BJP on stopping the five guarantees.
“I understood one thing from what Siddu Savadi has said. Somewhere within their party, there has been a discussion that the five guarantees introduced in this state should be stopped,” Laxman Savadi said.
(PTI News)
