Karnataka spending Rs 52,000 cr annually, on five guarantee scheme for equitable growth: CM Siddaramaiah

He said, "On the 5 Guarantees we are spending over 52,000 crore a year. This is perhaps the largest income support initiative by any state government."

Siddaramaiah stated, "In line with our vision for equitable growth, we have launched a very ambitious inclusion agenda by providing direct income support to over 12 million families through direct benefit transfer. We call this agenda "Five Guarantees."

Gruha Lakshmi- Monthly cash support of Rs 2,000 per woman head of the household, benefiting 12 million women through direct bank transfers.

Gruha Jyothi- Free domestic power up to 200 units for 14 million households, Anna Bhagya- Provision of 10 kg of grain per person per month, with an alternative cash transfer of Rs 170 per person due to grain shortages. This benefits over 12 million families.

Shakti- Free bus travel for all women residents, with over 280 crore trips taken so far, Yuva Nidhi- Monthly stipends of Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for up to two years or until employment is found. This program has supported 1.31 lakh youths.

Siddaramaiah said, "Our state has been actively working towards a vision to foster inclusive growth, enhance governance, and address the unique challenges that our region faces. Although our work is in line with the objectives outlined by NITI Aayog and the Government of India, we believe we are going several steps ahead in promoting inclusion of the bottom 60 of the population, in terms of income, in the development agenda."

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted Karnataka's focus on leveraging its strengths to drive sustainable economic growth. The state has made substantial progress in areas such as infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and sectoral development.

He said, "Karnataka is a hub of research, innovation and high technology in semi-conductor, space and aerospace sectors. 42 per cent of India's software exports emanate from Karnataka and 28 per cent of the GSVA -Gross State Value Add of the state comes from computers, software and related production and exports."

He emphasized the state's dedication to advancing sectors crucial for its economy, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and technology-led industries.

In a bold move towards social welfare, Karnataka has launched the 'Five Guarantees' program, aimed at providing comprehensive support to the state's vulnerable populations.

Karnataka is at the forefront of sustainability, to explain this Siddaramaiah stated, "Sustainability is at the core of our development strategy. We are committed to environmental conservation and are implementing policies aimed at reducing our carbon footprint. For example, Karnataka is a leader in renewable energy. 53 per cent of our installed capacity of 32 Giga Wats comes from renewable energy sources."

The state is also dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainable agricultural practices. Siddaramaiah reiterated the importance of balancing development with environmental stewardship to ensure long-term prosperity and quality of life for all residents.

Siddaramaiah emphasised, "Effective governance is key to achieving our developmental goals. We are investing in technology and innovative solutions to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in our administrative processes. For example, we have a strong set of e-Governance solutions. Using these we were able to roll out the 5 guarantees in a record time of less than 3 months."

He added, "Using our DBT module we are transferring over 54,000 crores to the beneficiaries directly into their bank accounts. By adopting e-governance tools and fostering a culture of responsiveness, we aim to improve service delivery and citizen engagement."

The Chief Minister expressed appreciation for NITI Aayog's guidance and support, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration.

He said, "Our partnership with NITI Aayog has been instrumental in shaping our development strategies. We appreciate the guidance and support provided and are keen to continue collaborating on various Initiatives. We believe that through shared knowledge, resources, and expertise, we can address the challenges we face and unlock new opportunities for growth." (ANI)