Siddaramaiah 2.0: Mountain high expectations, challenge to implement guarantees
4 min read
Bengaluru: As Siddaramaiah takes oath as the new chief minister of Karnataka later today, with D K Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister, expectations of people of Karnataka are mountain high on him and his new government.
In fact, the expectations of people were manifold on the previous BJP government that had claimed to provide corruption-free and efficient government. But it is ironic how it was accused of corruption and finally hadto pay the price for ‘corruption’ and other allegations. Forming government at this juncture, the road ahead of new Siddaramaiah government 2.0 is not just filled with expectations but also challenges. Right through the election, the Congress party has been claiming to fulfill their famous five guarantees – as promised in the manifesto – in the first cabinet meeting itself.
Their ‘Five guarantees’- 200 units of free electricity to every household, ‘Shakti’ – free commutes in public transport for women, ‘Anna Bhagya’ – 10 kg of rice to every person in the family, ‘Gruha Laxmi’ – womenhead of all families to get Rs 2,000 and Rs 1500 for diploma holders and Rs 3,000 for graduated youth per month, till they get a job.
With Siddaramaiah heading the government who has the credit of tabling 13 state budgets, the people are curious to see how these guarantees will be really a guarantee for them in the coming days.
For, according to an estimate, the total cost of all the freebies – promised by the Congress government – will amount to Rs 65,082 crore per year and this is nearly 20 per cent of the State budget. Besides, to meet these expectations the government may have to impose tax or rest on borrowings which may have an adverse impact on the exchequer. Expectationsare already high on this government even before it was formed and instances ofpeople refusing to pay power bill – to have free power – are already being reported from everywhere. Debates are being held whether it has its blueprint required to implement freebies as promised in the manifesto.
The Congress party appears to have expectations on Siddaramaiah who is good with finance portfolio. Besides, during his tenure, the party has the credit of implementing almost 99 per cent of promises made during his previous term. They include ‘Anna Bhagya’ and waiving off farm loans among others.
Apart from this, the new government will be keenly scrutinized on how it is going to scrapthe New Education Policy (NEP 2020) and introduce Karnataka Education Policy, as it promised in the manifesto. The NEP introduced by the BJP government inthe Centre hopes to meet the requirements of 21st century. The NEP as the Centre claimed will enable students from rural areas to pursue professionalcourses, which mostly remains inaccessible to them due to lack of English knowledge.
Besides, the BJP government in the State was the first to implement the NEP in last August amidst the protests by students and parents.
With academic year set to begin soon, it would have to be seen how the Congress government will act on it without affecting the students’ future. Unlike the BJP government that had come under severe criticism for the alleged saffronisation of textbooks in the name of revision, the Congress government is expected to keep textbooks out of politics, at least.
The textbooks review committee had chopped off lessons on Tipu Sultan and removed works of several noted dalit writers inviting the wrath of the public. While students are already confused over the lessons that were changed in and out, it would beseen how the new government would rectify it. Interestingly, the party’s firm stand on banning Bajrang Dal along with PFI (although it has already been banned) did not help the BJP to cash in on this, apart from fewpockets. This has projected the Congress in its new avatar of aggressive promoter of social justice and only time will say whether it will keep up its promise of ‘Sarva Janangada Shantiya Thota’ (Paradise of Peace For All).
Among its challenges, rebranding of Bengaluru is the most tough challenge ahead of Siddaramaiah government. The IT City is already grappled with infrastructure woes. Every time it rains, the City is marooned in several places and the previous Bommai government witnessed one of the worst rain disasters in Bengaluru. With the new government in place, the Bengaluru expects the infrastructure that at least matches its fame of being the Silicon Valley of India! With BBMP elections coming up, expectations are high on the Congress.
Congress won 12 seats out of 28 constituencies in Bengaluru. Promises are to keep and the people of Karnataka hope that the new Congress government really means that.
– Team MysoorunewsÂ
Mysooru News
