Govt committed to fulfilling poll guarantees, says Karnataka Deputy CM

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said there is a "responsible government" in the state, which will fulfill all the guarantees made to the people ahead of the assembly polls, and there is no need to worry.

He, however, did not specify any timeline to implement guarantees, but maintained that the cabinet meeting on June 1 will discuss on fulfilling them.

"There is a cabinet meeting on June 1, the Chief Minister has the responsibility of the Finance department, he will discuss with officials and bring the relevant information to the cabinet. We will keep up our promise. We will have to do it systematically and preparations are on," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, there is a responsible government in the state and it will keep up the promises made to its people and there is no need to worry.

Noting that all the Ministers have been instructed to review their respective departments, the Deputy CM said, all the Ministers including him will begin their work today.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who expanded his cabinet on Saturday by inducting 24 new Ministers, has allocated portfolios to all the ministers in his Cabinet, late last night.

There is mounting pressure on the new Congress government by opposition parties and various sections of people from across the state, to fulfill its five poll guarantees.

In the maiden Cabinet meeting of this government, soon after the swearing-in of Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and eight Ministers on May 20, it was decided to accord "in-principle" approval to the Congress' five 'guarantees' promised before the elections.

The 'guarantees' would "most likely" be implemented after the next Cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah, who chaired the cabinet meeting, had told reporters that day.

The Congress had promised to implement the guarantees' 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti), on the very first day of assuming power in the state.