On Thursday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar reassured the public that there are no plans to discontinue any of the guarantee schemes, including the Shakti scheme. Speaking to reporters at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office, he emphasized, “There is absolutely no question of withdrawing any of the five guarantee schemes.”
Shivakumar clarified that his earlier remarks had been misinterpreted. He explained that he mentioned how many economically empowered women working in the IT sector and multinational companies expressed interest in paying for their transport tickets, as they receive conveyance allowances from their employers. He noted, “I said that I would discuss this with the Transport Minister, but I never stated that the guarantee scheme would be stopped.”
He further elaborated, “While there is no intention to withdraw any of the schemes, we cannot impose these guarantee schemes on individuals who do not wish to participate. For instance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a public appeal for people to voluntarily give up their LPG subsidies. I suggested a similar approach could be considered.”
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As both the KPCC President and Deputy CM, he reiterated that none of the schemes will be retracted at any cost, assuring that they will remain in place not only for the next 3.5 years but also for an additional five years during the subsequent term of the Congress government.
When asked about the possibility of allowing women who wish to pay for their tickets without revising the scheme, Shivakumar responded, “The transport employees need government permission for that. Conductors may hesitate to collect fares from women due to existing laws, and some might later claim the government is forcing them to pay. In this context, we need to discuss these suggestions with the women involved.”
Addressing concerns raised by former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who claimed that the state government was facing financial difficulties due to the guarantee schemes, Shivakumar stated, “Kumaraswamy is struggling to accept the success of these schemes. He is afraid that people will reject his party.”
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