Bengaluru: Hitting out at the opposition in the State, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asserted that the five guarantee schemes implemented by the Congress government will not be discontinued and expressed confidence that they would continue even after the party returns to power following the next Assembly election.
He assured the beneficiaries of these schemes and asked them not to worry about what he described as misinformation being spread by the opposition parties.
Taking to social media, Siddaramaiah claimed that efforts to rectify shortcomings identified in the implementation of the schemes have been underway since the beginning and are continuing even now.
"The five guarantee schemes will not be discontinued for any reason. Not only for the next two years, but even after the next election, when we return to power, these schemes will continue," he said.
Terming the BJP an "anti-poor" party, the former CM alleged that it has opposed the guarantee schemes from day one.
"Initially, it claimed that implementing the schemes was impossible. Later, it said the government would go bankrupt due to a financial crunch. Now, it is spreading rumours that the schemes will be discontinued. This is a reflection of its political frustration," he alleged.
Siddaramaiah recalled that as CM, he had not only successfully implemented the five schemes in the state but had also ensured that they did not have any adverse impact on Karnataka's economy.
He noted that today, Karnataka ranks first in the country in per capita income and is second only to Maharashtra in GST collections.
Siddaramaiah questioned whether such achievements would be possible if the treasury were empty and the government were bankrupt.
The Congress leader further claimed that the BJP, which has consistently opposed its guarantee schemes, has copied the same schemes in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and come to power.
"What moral authority does it have to oppose these schemes? Although the BJP promised guarantee-type schemes ahead of elections in some states, it has been unable to implement them fully," he alleged.
According to him, these schemes must reach genuinely eligible beneficiaries. When ineligible persons receive the benefits, it is the duty of the elected government to prevent it.
"Our people, too, must think about this. Taking advantage of the schemes by deceiving the government out of greed is not only a violation of the law but also a betrayal of the people of the state," he said.
On such matters, Siddaramaiah said that the opposition parties should refrain from spreading misinformation for political gain and instead assist the government in ensuring that the benefits reach deserving beneficiaries.
The five flagship guarantee schemes of the Karnataka government are Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti, Gruha Jyoti, Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi.