Karnataka: Guarantee schemes alleviate price rise burden, says Shivakumar

Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday, 23 March, said that the guarantee schemes have alleviated the burden of price rise and inflation on the people.

Speaking at a programme, he said: "We introduced the guarantee schemes looking at the plight of people due to price rise and inflation. The guarantee schemes help over 6.6 crore people in the state every single month.

"During the BJP rule in Karnataka, the price of petrol shot up from Rs 70 to Rs 100 per litre, and the price of LPG went up from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100. The price of cooking oil had also increased. To reduce this burden, we introduced the Gruhalakshmi scheme, which has been benefitting 1.33 crore women," he said.

"The Gruhajyothi scheme is benefitting 1.5 crore households. Anna Bhagya has been giving 5 kg rice and money instead of giving another 5 kg. Shakthi is giving free bus travel to women and Yuvanidhi is helping thousands of unemployed youth," the Karnataka unit Congress president said.

"Every poor family is getting benefits worth Rs 5,000 to 6,000 per month. By this, we are putting money in the hands of the people. The Congress always believed in putting money in the hands of the people. We have earmarked Rs 56,000 crore for the guarantee schemes, which will directly go to the people," he added.

On 22 March, Shivakumar defended Congress giving tickets to children of five ministers in the state in its second list of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls, indicating that winnability was a key factor in their selection.

On criticism of nepotism against the party, the state Congress chief claimed that the political system in the entire country has changed now and, in all political parties, family members or children of Ministers or leaders are being fielded to contest elections.