The five guarantees de-stress common man’s life affected by steep price rise due to Central government policies: Krishna Byre Gowda

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Saturday said the five guarantee scheme of the State government was to return the taxes collected to the people to de-stress their life affected by enormous price rise caused by the policies of the Central government.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Saturday said the five guarantee scheme of the State government was to return the taxes collected to the people to de-stress their life affected by enormous price rise caused by the policies of the Central government.

Speaking at the guarantee samavesha organised by the Dakshina Kannada district administration for Mangaluru Assembly constituency at Thokkottu, Mr. Gowda said the Central government that reduced up to ₹2 lakh crore tax component on the rich every year, has shifted the burden on the working class by levying additional taxes on fuel and other daily essentials. The Congress, which always stands for the working class, rushed to their help by deciding to offer the guarantees.

With the five guarantees, the Revenue Minister said, every family would get at least ₹4,000 to ₹7,000 a month additionally that could sustain their life, which was severely affected by the Central government’s economic policies. The Anna Bhagya, the Shakti, the Gruha Lakshmi, the Gruha Jyothi and the Yuva Nidhi, have thus tremendously empowered the working class economically.

It is not “Bitti Bhagya” (free benefit) as alleged by the Opposition parties and if anything is “Bitti Bhagya” it was abolition of ₹2 lakh crore tax per year on the affluent class, Mr. Gowda said.

While 4.38 crore people were benefiting from the Anna Bhagya and also get ₹170 a month in lieu of additional 5 kg rice, 1.17 crore women got ₹2,000 a month under Gruha Lakshmi while 4.8 crore women travelled under the Shakti scheme. In none of the schemes, the beneficiaries were made to wait in long queues, while the benefits were deposited in their bank accounts.

Mr. Gowda said it was not a big thing to spend ₹55,000 crore a year on the five guarantees; but the government has to ensure the benefits reached the targeted group. That was why the guarantee samavesha were being organised to hear from the beneficiaries.

The Congress has to its credit to initiate one of the biggest social revolutions in the form of land reforms in 1974, Mr. Gowda said adding thousands of tenants got the ownership of lands they were cultivating. The government was planning an apt celebration of the 50 years of the scheme this year, he said.