The Karnataka Congress on Wednesday announced that it would provide 200 units of free electricity to every household every month, if the party is elected to power in the state in the assembly elections to be held this year.
The announcement was made by the Congress while launching the bus rally ‘Praja Dhwani Yatre’ in Belagavi, which kicks off the party’s campaign ahead of the polls likely to be held in May.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar said that this programme would be the party’s first guarantee to the people. “A Congress government in Karnataka will supply 200 units of power, free of charge, to every home in Karnataka to aid Kannadigas in fending against the assault of price rise and save up for necessities such as food, education for children and health care. Through our first guarantee of providing 200 units of free power to every household across the state, we have expressed our commitment to brighten every house with light,” said Shivakumar.
Named “Gruha Jyothi Yojane’’, Shivkumar said the scheme is needed at a time when prices of essential commodities are on the rise. Karnataka deserves a government that thinks about public welfare and well-being, he added.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said that 200 units of free power every month is not only limited to Dalits, backward classes and minorities, it is for everyone, every household. Pointing out that BJP had promised to provide 10 hours of three-phase power, he said, “Did they give? We (Congress) had promised to provide it (three phase) 7 hours and fulfilled our commitment (while in power last time). Now we have said 200 units of free power and we will fulfil this promise at any cost.”
The Congress kickstarted the rally at ‘Veer Soudha’, a memorial where Mahatma Gandhi had presided over the Congress session in 1924. The tour covering 21 districts will see the party sharing its ideas with the people and assuring all-round development of the state, while attacking the BJP government with a ‘’charge sheet’’ it has prepared, Congress leaders said.
As part of the bus yatra, both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, who are nursing chief ministerial ambitions in the event of the Congress coming to power, will travel in the same vehicle until January 29. Thereafter, in the second week of February, two separate teams would be formed, with one headed by Siddaramaiah set to tour Assembly constituencies in north Karnataka region, while Shivakumar will be leading the way in southern districts.
Congress leaders symbolically swept the street with a broom and said they will ‘’wipe out the corrupt’’ BJP government from the state, where elections are due by May.
Siddaramaiah said the Congress is beginning the Yatre from Belagavi to “wipe out the BJP government’s corruption and its misrule” from the state. ‘’Our intention is to place before the people a charge sheet against the BJP government in the state, because the entire government is submerged in corruption, there is growing misrule, and they are indulging in a politics of hate. If anyone questions, they are being intimidated with false cases and arrests,’’ he said, adding that ‘’corruption is rampant and people are fed up’’.
Calling the state government a ‘40% commission government, Shivakumar said, “the state government is sowing the seeds of communal hatred among people and is involved in corruption by fixing the ‘rates’ (bribe) like prices on a hotel menu card. The rates and commissions are fixed by the government which are ₹2500 crore for the post of Chief Minister, ₹100 crore for the post of Minister, ₹15 crore for Commissioner, 40 percent for PWD works, 40 percent for funds given to Mutts, 30 per cent commission for supply of eggs, etc.’’
Listing ‘’various corruption and scandals’’ in the state and accusing the government of giving a clean chit to those involved by filing a b-report in such cases, he alleged, ‘’estimates have been doubled in PWD and irrigation contracts, everything will be looked into, all scandals and B report will be inquired into on Congress coming to power.’’
Source- Hindustan Times.
