No plan to cut guarantee scheme beneficiaries: Shivakumar

Bengaluru, June 10 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday clarified that the state government has no intention of reducing the number of beneficiaries under its guarantee schemes and said the ongoing verification exercise is aimed solely at ensuring that benefits reach eligible recipients.

Responding to questions about the review of the Gruha Laxmi scheme, Shivakumar said the government had found instances in which benefits were being drawn in the names of deceased beneficiaries.

“In some cases, money under the Gruha Laxmi scheme was being withdrawn in the names of beneficiaries who had passed away. Different mobile numbers had been linked to those accounts. Therefore, we are conducting a verification exercise. There is absolutely no intention to reduce the number of beneficiaries. Our objective is to ensure that the benefits reach eligible persons,” he said.

The Chief Minister also pointed to alleged misuse of the Gruha Jyothi free power scheme, under which households receive up to 200 units of free electricity every month.

“Some people are availing free electricity under the Gruha Jyothi scheme and using it for commercial establishments such as shops. In certain cases, a single individual has six electricity meters registered in their name. We have no objection if the scheme is used for residential purposes. Those living in rented houses can submit an affidavit. We introduced these schemes for the voters and eligible beneficiaries of Karnataka,” he said.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the previous NITI Aayog meeting, Shivakumar said Karnataka would actively participate in the upcoming meeting and raise issues of concern to the state.

“We are attending the meeting, and I will present matters relating to Karnataka’s interests. The Prime Minister had assured me of his cooperation on the day I assumed office. We will work together in the interest of development,” he said.

On whether he would hold a separate meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shivakumar said he had sought appointments with the Prime Minister and several Union Ministers.

“I have requested meetings with the Prime Minister and key Union Ministers. The Prime Minister has given me time tomorrow, and I will meet all those who grant appointments,” he said.

When asked about a possible expansion of the state Cabinet, Shivakumar replied, “There is no discussion on that at present.”

The Chief Minister said he had met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and sought approvals for several key infrastructure projects proposed by the Karnataka government.

“I met Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and requested clearance for various projects in our state. Objections had been raised regarding our Metro double-decker project. I explained the project details and sought approval. I have also requested greater financial assistance for Karnataka through the Centre’s Urban Challenge Fund,” he said.

Shivakumar further said he had convened a meeting with Karnataka government officials posted in New Delhi to seek their suggestions and guidance on securing greater benefits from Central government schemes.

“Other states are making better use of Central government schemes. We discussed which schemes Karnataka should prioritise to maximise benefits. In the coming days, we will also hold meetings with retired officials. Our government intends to utilise their experience and expertise in the state’s development,” he said.

Asked about his meetings with senior Congress leaders in Delhi, Shivakumar said he was in the national capital primarily to attend the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting.

“All Chief Ministers have been invited to the NITI Aayog meeting. This is my first time attending it as Chief Minister. During my visit, I met our national leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. I also visited the offices of the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress and NSUI,” he said.

Describing these organisations as the backbone of the Congress party, Shivakumar said his own political journey had begun through the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Youth Congress.

When asked about the discussions held with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar declined to reveal details.

“I cannot disclose everything. I am a Congress worker and the Chief Minister of the state. I discussed what needed to be discussed. It is not possible to make those conversations public,” he said.

Further, Shivakumar described the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination in Madhya Pradesh as a shocking development and termed it an injustice that undermines democratic principles.

Responding to questions from reporters about the rejection of Natarajan’s nomination papers, Shivakumar said, “This is shocking news for the country. I have contested many elections myself. An Election Officer or Returning Officer does not have the authority to arbitrarily reject a nomination. If there was any issue, it could have been challenged in court after the election.”

He questioned the basis for the rejection, stating, “If an FIR has been registered somewhere in our name without our knowledge, how are we supposed to know about it? Meenakshi Natarajan is a senior leader of our party. When a similar issue arose during the filing of my nomination papers, I was given an opportunity to rectify it.”

Alleging a political conspiracy, Shivakumar said, “This appears to be a political conspiracy. Even though we have sufficient votes, how can the BJP claim before the election itself that it will win all the seats? What has happened in Madhya Pradesh is an injustice.”

Calling the incident a setback for democratic values, he added, “This is a case that makes the democratic system hang its head in shame.”

--IANS

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