His comments at the party office in Bengaluru came in response to Dy CM DK Shivakumar’s statements suggesting a review of the scheme Shakti that provides for free bus travel for women all over the state. The AICC president issued a mild caution to leaders about the potential damage such statements could cause.
Kharge publicly rebuked the idea and said any such talk would sow the seeds of doubts in people. He asked the CM to stick the promises made in the budget, while seeking to put any more discussion on the subject at rest.
Maharashtra and Jharkhand are headed to assembly polls in November, along with bypolls for three Lok Sabha and 47 assembly seats including three in Karnataka. Kharge did not want any confusion over the Congress party’s commitment to guarantees. “In Maharashtra also, I have said we must promise only those guarantees we would have resources to implement,” he said, speaking after paying tribute to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.
NO REVIEW
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ruled out any review of the programme that provides for free bus travel for women, soon after the party event.
There is no such proposal before the government, said Siddaramaiah, categorically rejecting any move to revisit the subject.Speculations about a review of the Shakti free bus travel scheme for women swirled around after Dy CM DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said he had received mails from sections of women urging the government to collect bus fares from those who were willing to pay. He sounded amenable to the idea and said he would discuss with the Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and take the suggestion forward.The remarks by Shivakumar, who is also the president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), triggered criticism from the Opposition BJP and JDS.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, speaking at the poll-bound Channapatna, said the Dy CM’s comment indicated first moves towards ending the guarantee schemes in phases.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and former CM Basavaraj Bommai slammed the government for hinting at a review of the scheme. “It seems that the Congress party has finally realised it has ruined the state’s condition with false assurances to people while trying to win elections. Bommai said the government implemented the bus scheme without proper preparations.
The CM’s office, to silence critics of the welfare guarantees, said the government had enough resources to run them. The government, the statement added, had already allocated Rs 24,235 crore out of the budgeted Rs 52,009 crore for 2024-25. The government is leveraging e-governance models for identifying beneficiaries, removing inefficiencies and for increasing the impact of welfare schemes, the government said.
