It's Centre's turn to honour promise of creating 2 cr jobs: K'taka DyCM

Bengaluru, June 3 (IANS) A day after the Congress government announced the rollout of five guarantees, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday stated that now it is the Centre's turn to honour its promise of creating 2 crore jobs and doubling farmers' incomes.

Soon, the central government will face a litmus test (Lok Sabha elections). To pass the test, they need to keep their promises, he told the media.

On the criticism by the Opposition parties, especially BJP, on the guarantee schemes, Shivakumar said that instead of criticism, let the Prime Minister bring black money from abroad and deposit Rs 15 lakh to individual bank accounts.

Let them create 2 crore jobs as promised and double the income of farmers, Shivakumar stated.

Reacting to the comments of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that the announcement of Congress government on guarantees is a farce, Shivakumar stated Kumaraswamy is a big person and he doesn't want to talk about him. "I will carry out my duties and let him do his," he said.

Asked if those who want to deny freebies, Shivakumar stated that there is a provision for this. If someone wants to pay their electricity bills instead of 200 units free electricity, they can pay up. Many officers, media persons have written a letter saying they do not want to avail the benefit of free electricity.

That is why the applications are called to avail the benefits. On the lines of people who gave up subsidies on LPG cylinders, here also people can give up on guarantee schemes, Shivakumar stated.

The Congress government is implementing the guarantees to give relief to people reeling under price rise, he maintained.

The Congress is implementing free power up to 200 units every household from July. The women can travel free in state-run buses from June 11 in the state. Rs 2,000 allowance for women will be given to women heads of family from August. The applications for Rs 3,000 allowance for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 allowance for unemployed diploma holders who passed out this academic year are already called.

Distribution of 10 kilograms of rice for all members of BPL family from next month.

All these formed a part of the big announcement made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.