Karnataka has spent Rs 76,509 crore on guarantee schemes, BJP copying them: Siddaramaiah

Siddaramaiah said United Nations General Assembly member Philemon Yang had appreciated the guarantee schemes during his visit to Bengaluru, adding that some of the guarantee schemes were being studied by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala. Apart from this, the Indian Institute of Public Administration—run by the central government—has appreciated the Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes, the chief minister said.

According to data shared by the chief minister, in the 2024-25 fiscal year, Rs 52,009 crore was set aside for various guarantee schemes and that Rs 41,650 crore of it was spent till the end of February.

“Despite all this, you (BJP) are trying to find faults in the schemes. It is a politically motivated futile exercise,” he said in response to charges levelled by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka last week in his speech on the governor’s address.

Maintaining that the guarantee schemes would continue, Siddaramaiah said they were similar to the universal basic income introduced in some European countries, adding that apart from increasing the purchasing power of the people, the schemes were also helping to address inequality in the state.