20-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Siddaramaiah, DCM DK Shivakumar to present state govt's progress report to Rahul Gandhi
BENGALURU: With the Congress completing two years in power in Karnataka, and marking the milestone at the Sadhana Samavesha in Hosapete on Tuesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will present the government's two-year progress report in a book titled 'Karnataka Model of Development' to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, at the mega rally.
Both Rahul and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will unveil the book, which contains details of the progress achieved by all departments and the accolades received at the state, national and global level by the government. It also has details of Siddaramaiah not letting down the AHINDA communities during his stint as CM, with massive funds being allocated in the budget.
Siddaramaiah seems relaxed as he completes two years as CM. The blowback from the alleged MUDA and ST corporation scams is subsiding, and his position is not threatened.
The issue of a change in guard is also not very intense now, which may have cut Rahul's task, since Karnataka is the only big state in the country with a Congress government, observed analysts.
The CM has also prepared to draw a parallel between his government and the Centre and other states ruled by the BJP, as also the previous government, with statistics. Issues of law and order, attracting Rs 7.5 lakh crore investments to create 20 lakh jobs in five years, treating farming as a sustainable enterprise that reduced farmer suicides, mega projects like KWIN city, and legislation for gig workers, as suggested by Rahul, among others, are in the CM's kitty.
On the implementation of the five guarantees, Siddaramaiah often claimed that they were sustained, despite the Opposition's criticism that the government had gone bankrupt.
In the 124-page book, the government has claimed to have covered all 7 crore Kannadigas in one or the other scheme, including the guarantees. For instance, the Gruhalakshmi scheme has been projected as being very successful, with 68 per cent women utilising the amount to start micro enterprises and undergo skill development. But the amount is due for March and April. 'We have not said that we will make payments every month. Will a contractor get paid for the work as soon as he completes it,' asked Shivakumar, replying to a query at Hosapete on Monday. In two years, the government has spent Rs 89,428 crore towards its five guarantees.
