New Delhi (Agency): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed on Tuesday his government’s intent to delve into all suspected scams and irregularities that have occurred during the prior BJP administration, pledging to hold accountable anyone found culpable.
The Chief Minister conveyed his commitment to fulfilling the party’s campaign promises, even in the face of an increased fiscal burden. He cited the implementation of the Congress’s five guarantees, which will necessitate an expenditure of Rs 59,000 crore annually.
“We will get scams inquired into. Four medical colleges were constructed and there are allegations about irregularities in it, we will get it investigated. Also, we will get allegations of 40 per cent commission probed. There were irregularities in health-related procurements during the COVID-19 period, irrigation projects related irregularities and Bitcoin scams, all of them will be probed,” Siddaramaiah declared.
The ongoing investigation into the Police Sub Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam is to be intensified, with a guarantee from Siddaramaiah that guilty parties will face justice. Other significant inquiries include the tragic deaths at Chamarajanagara hospital, allegedly due to an oxygen shortage during the pandemic. The Chief Minister expressed skepticism over the former Health Minister K Sudhakar’s claim that only two individuals had died, asserting that, “he had lied. We will get it inquired.”
Addressing critics of his government’s implementation of poll guarantees, Siddaramaiah highlighted progress, noting the successful provision of free public transport for women and plans to provide up to 200 units of free electricity to households under the ‘Gruha Jyothi’ scheme from July 1. The ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme, offering Rs 2,000 to women heads of the household, is set to be launched after August 15.
The Chief Minister expressed frustration at the lack of support from the central government in the procurement of additional rice required under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme. Siddaramaiah accused the central government of having “conspired” to prevent the state from receiving sufficient rice supplies from the Food Corporation of India (FCI). “The BJP government at the Centre by ensuring that FCI doesn’t supply rice to the state has attacked the state’s poor, BJP means anti-poor,” he said. Despite these setbacks, the state government is seeking alternative procurement channels, and the scheme will commence as soon as adequate rice supplies are secured.
Regarding the ‘YuvaNidhi’ scheme, aimed at providing monthly financial support to unemployed graduates and diploma holders, Siddaramaiah detailed that beneficiaries will receive the aid for 24 months, during which they are expected to secure employment.
In addition to these initiatives, the Chief Minister disclosed plans to gradually fill approximately 2.5 lakh vacancies in government departments. He admitted, “It cannot be done at once, also implementation of five poll guarantees will cost Rs 59,000 crore a year to the government. So this year there is a slightly higher burden on the government, but the guarantees will certainly be implemented.”
Challenging the BJP’s protests against his government, Siddaramaiah questioned the party’s credibility, “Have they implemented the poll promises made in the manifesto, while in power?” He urged former Chief Ministers Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai to disclose the number of promises they were able to fulfil during their tenures.
Concluding with a defiant stance, Siddaramaiah said, “They should not do political gimmicks, instead of protesting if they are committed to the cause of the poor, let them get rice from the Centre, which is doing hate politics,” putting the ball