Congress-led Karnataka government on Saturday officially launched ‘Gruha Jyothi’ free power scheme for people in the state. It is one of the five poll guarantees of the Congress party, which promises to ensure up to 200 units of free electricity to households in the state. While formally launching the scheme by giving away the "zero bill" to 10 people symbolically, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress national President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who earlier accused the ruling Congress of "emptying" state coffers to fulfill their selfish interests through populist announcements, reported news agency PTI.
After the launch of 'Gruha Jyothi', Siddaramaiah said they have fulfilled their promise of providing up to 200 units of free power to people in the state. He was quoted as saying by PTI: "We had promised to provide up to 200 units of free power. There are 2.14 crore consumers eligible under Gruha Jyothi, and 1.42 crore households have registered.”
The Chief Minister also said the scheme came into effect on July 1 and the bill for July electricity consumption will come in the beginning of August. He hailed the formal launch of the scheme on Saturday.
Under the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme, the benefit is calculated on the basis of average consumption for the financial year 2022-23 and 10 per cent additional. However, the total amount will be less than 200 units, reported PTI.
Siddaramaiah said that there will soon be a “Karnataka Model" of development and that his government will implement all other 76 promises, announced in the budget. He also challenged the BJP to implement the guarantees across the country in all states, if it has "guts".
CM Siddaramaiah also said, as quoted by news agency ANI on Twitter, “The previous BJP govt looted the state resulting in skyrocketing prices of commodities and unemployment.”
He was quoted as saying by PTI, "We will fulfill all the promises made in our manifesto, there is no need to have any doubts about it. The opposition is spreading false information that it is not possible to implement five guarantees.”
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Siddaramaiah said, "I want to tell Narendra Modi that we will implement the five guarantees, we have provided money for it in the budget. Karnataka is not bankrupt. It is Narendra Modi who has made this country bankrupt, not us.”
Others who were present on the occasion include Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Ministers K J George, Priyank Kharge, Sharan Prakash Patil, and Eshwar Khandre.
Hitting out at PM Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, Congress always walks the talk, while Prime Minister Modi who had promised to generate 2 crore jobs and deposit Rs 15 lakh in every bank account has not kept up his promises.