BJP leaders can’t stop guarantee schemes even in 100 lifetimes: K’taka Dy CM

Bengaluru, Aug 14 (IANS) “Even if the BJP leaders were to live a hundred lifetimes, they cannot stop our government’s guarantee schemes,” declared Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, on Wednesday. The Karnataka Congress President made this statement while addressing a gathering on Wednesday after inaugurating the Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee and the Congress Public Contact Centre for the Padmanabhanagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.Regarding media reports suggesting a revision in guarantee schemes, Shivakumar clarified, “The media reports are false. Both I and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have clearly stated that we have no intention of altering or reducing these guarantee schemes.“Some have claimed that high-income earners and tax payers are also benefiting from these schemes. Such cases will be reviewed. We are considering issuing identification cards for beneficiaries. Our guarantee committee will review this.””Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi introduced old-age pensions, widow pensions, bank nationalisation, and land for the landless schemes. The Congress government provided 10 HP free electricity for farmer pump sets in the state, and during former CM SM Krishna-led Congress government’s rule, the Stree Shakti Sangh scheme was introduced.“Have any of these schemes been stopped? Has the scheme for providing land and houses to the poor been halted? No! Similarly, even if the BJP leaders live a hundred lifetimes, they cannot stop our five guarantee schemes. This is the strength of the Congress party,” Shivakumar proclaimed.”The key issue is why are these five guarantee schemes needed? Power comes and goes.