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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said that dinner meets are commonplace in politics and there was no need to read too much into it.
"It is common for politicians to attend dinner meets. I also organise dinner meets frequently. The media should not politicise the dinner meet. I had travelled abroad with the family as I had not travelled with them for the last 4-5 years," he said speaking to reporters. He was replying to questions on the potential political motive behind Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's dinner meet while the Deputy CM was out of the country. "Many other ministers also were travelling abroad. Those who were in Bengaluru have attended the dinner meet, there is nothing wrong in it," he added. When pointed out demands for a cabinet reshuffle and change in KPCC presidency by Minister HK Patil and others, he said, "There have been no discussions on this. The media is misinformed. This is a prerogative of the CM and he will talk about it." Asked about the detection of the HMPV virus in an 8-month-old baby in Bengaluru, he said, "Our Health Minister is working on this, there is no need to worry about it. The government is alert." Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, DK Shivakumar announced the Congress party's first guarantee scheme 'Pyari Didi', on the lines of the Gruhalakshmi scheme, in the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections. Addressing a press conference, he said, "The Congress party would provide Rs 2,500 per month for women if it comes to power in New Delhi. The scheme 'Pyari Didi' is on the same lines as Karnataka's Gruhalakshmi scheme." "We will implement the Pyari Didi guarantee scheme on the very first day of assuming office. There are more guarantees and our leaders in Delhi will talk about them in the days to come. I am promising this guarantee as the KPCC President and the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. We announced our first guarantee scheme in Karnataka - Gruhajyothi - from the Gandhi well in Belagavi. Later, Priyanka Gandhi announced the Gruhalakshmi scheme and told us that this should not be just a promise but a guarantee. Hence, Siddaramaiah and I signed a guarantee cheque. And, as promised, all the schemes were approved in the first Cabinet meeting itself," he said. He said that the 'Pyari Didi Scheme' will share similar benefits as the Gruhalakshmi scheme. He further noted all the benefits that women in Karnataka are reaping from the scheme. "All the guarantee schemes were rolled out in the first three months of assuming office. In Karnataka, women are travelling in government buses for free, the poor are getting 10 kg food grains, unemployed youth are getting unemployment allowance, up to 200 units of electricity is free for households, women are getting Rs 2,000 every month," he added. Shivakumar said that the Gruhalakshmi scheme has brought a significant socio-economic change in poor and middle-class families. He further added that the women are saving about Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 per month because of guarantee schemes. (ANI)
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