K'taka govt likely to make announcement on 5 guarantees tomorrow

Bengaluru, June 1 (IANS) The Congress government, which is under pressure to implement five guarantee schemes in Karnataka, is likely to make an announcement in this regard on Friday after the cabinet meeting, according to sources.

The implementation of the likely announcement may commence from next week, sources added.

The party leadership is contemplating to organise a massive public rally on the day of the implementation or a day before. The top leaders of the party would be present in the rally. Since Rahul Gandhi is on foreign tour, the details are being worked out on how to go about it, sources said.

Sources said that on Friday the cabinet will take a decision on three guarantees and an announcement would be made accordingly. The party think-tank is of the opinion that just a press conference would not give maximum mileage to the party and a big event should be organised to reach out to the people.

CM Siddaramaiah had announced that the decision would be taken in the cabinet meeting on Friday (June 2) on guarantee schemes. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had stated that the officers have given the government a few options and they have been asked to rework and make presentations to the cabinet.

Congress has promised to provide free 10 kg rice to every member of BPL card holders' family under the Anna Bhagya scheme; Rs 2,000 for every woman head of the family under Gruha Lakshmi scheme; Rs 3,000 allowance for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders for two years under Yuva Nidhi scheme; free bus travel for women in state owned buses and 200 unit free electricity for households under Gruha jyothi scheme.

The freebies helped the Congress party to win elections and now the party leadership is under pressure to deliver on the promises. The opposition BJP and JD(S) are taking potshots at the Congress over the delay. Rahul Gandhi insisted that the assurances will have to be implemented from the first cabinet meeting. The Siddaramaiah-led government has already given in-principle consent to the implementation of the schemes.

CM Siddaramaiah had held marathon meetings with the bureaucrats over the consequences of the implementation of freebies as the cost is expected to be Rs 50,000 crore per year.