Shakti Yojana aims to empower women, says CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who launched the the ‘Shakti Yojana’ on Sunday, the first of the Congress guarantees, said, “The name ‘Shakti’ Yojana was chosen to empower women.

“A country will develop only when women participate as much as men. The participation of women in our country is low. In India, only 24% of women participate in any activity. This has to be changed. The purpose of our government is not to extend financial support to the poor. Four of the five Congress guarantees are related to women. A housewife takes care of her hungry husband and children and feeds them. That is why women are the eyes of society”, he added

“We have given five guarantees to the people before the Karnataka Assembly elections and promised that we will fulfil them. We have fulfilled all the promises that we made in 2013–2018. We have kept our word just like Basavadi Sharanas, elders, and seers”.

“Our ultimate aim is to fulfill our promise made to the people. We made many promises in our Congress manifesto before the election. Shivakumar and I distributed the cards to every doorstep. The opposition made fun of the guarantee card and criticised the Congress that we wouldn’t implement it. They even said the state will become bankrupt. They poked fun at the Congress manifesto, but we were not disturbed by their criticism. Our aim was to implement the guarantees if we came to power. We obtained a clear majority with the blessings of the people”, Siddaramiah said.

The CM further said, “It has been 20 days since the formation of our government. Our priority was to fulfill our promises. Hence, we announced the guarantee scheme in the first cabinet meeting itself, when 10 legislators, including myself and D K Shivakumar took oath initially. Then, we took a decision that in the next cabinet meeting, all the five guarantees will be implemented”.

“Today, we have implemented the Shakti Yojana and launched it all over the state. We have already given instructions to all OIMs and ministers to do so. Around 41,85,000 women travelling in buses across the entire state. Women can travel for free by all government buses except AC, Rajahamsa and Volvo buses, and the scheme applies to all without any discrimination of caste, creed or gender”, the chief minister said.

Speaking on the other guarantees, the CM also said, “The Annabhagya Yojana and the Gruha Lakshmi Yojana will come into effect from July 1. The July power bill which will come in August will be a zero bill if power consumption is within 200 units. Financial assistance of Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders who passed out in 2002-23 will be given will be given under the Yuva Nidhi scheme for 24 months”.

Siddaramaiah said, “The Opposition parties are working to create confusion. It is their job to create confusion. But there are rumblings in the opposition and hence, they are blabbering whatever comes to mind. They are making fun and let them do it, we will continue do our work”.