Karnataka model, a hoax, says ex-Deputy CM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan

Hyderabad: Karnataka former Deputy CM Dr C N Ashwath Narayan here on Monday appealed to people of Telangana not to be taken for a raid by the Congress six guarantees based on Karnataka model.

Addressing the media, he recalled the Congress had promised a 'five gurnatees' during the Karnataka elections. Of these, he said, under the Yuva Nidhi Scheme (YNS), it promised Rs 3,000 monthly allowance to an unemployed graduate and Rs 1,500 for a diploma-holder. ‘The scheme has not been launched; there is no sign of it seeing the light of the day.

The 'Gruha Lakshmi Scheme' was one of the most attractive guarantees as it promised Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to women heading the BPL families. The Congress government claims 1.16 crore of 1.28 crore eligible beneficiaries have registered for the scheme in August. On estimation the government was supposed to have released Rs 2,300 crore a month and a total of Rs 9,200 crore for four months. But it has released only Rs 2,119 crore so far; Kannadigas are complaining money has not been transferred to their accounts. The government is blaming technical glitches and procedural issues, like non-seeding of Aadhar.

The fate of Shakti Scheme (SS) is no different; meant for women as it envisages free bus service. It was launched in July. While on average 84 lakh women travel a day, the government was required to earmark about Rs 450 crore a month. In October alone, 18,26,17,460 women had availed the service; the government was supposed to pay about Rs 465 crore to the RTCs for the month. It owes more than Rs 2,250 crore cumulatively to RTCs. But, it has so far released only Rs 140 crore.

In a clear sign of cheating people, the government has reduced the number of buses in service from all four RTCs from 24,352 to 19,200 buses after the SS was implemented. There are hardly any services for school children in rural areas, he criticised.

Gruha Jyothi Scheme which the Congress promised free power of up to 200 units to all domestic consumers, but after coming to power it put a condition that only those who consumed less than 200 units on an average a month in last 12 months are eligible. While there are 2.14 crore eligible consumers, 74.8 lakh have received zero bills. But the government has not paid the power companies (ESCOMs) as it has released only Rs 1,401 crore, while Rs 8,406 crore is required.

Also in Anna Bhagaya Scheme, the Congress lied to voters as it promised 10 kg free rice to a person from 1.28 crore BPL families. It was a lie since 5 kg of rice was already being supplied by the Centre under the Antoyodaya Anna Yojana. The Congress government would only have to provide 5 kg, but the party concealed this fact during the campaign, as it had no sincere plan to implement the scheme. It could not produce required rice.The government announced it would pay Rs 171 to each beneficiary through DBT instead of rice. There are complaints people have not received money as government released Rs 1,978.76 crore so far against Rs 6,566.4 crore required.

The government has so far released only Rs 5,417.85 crore, while on its own budget estimate, the five guarantees cost more than Rs 52,000 crore.