Dear Editor,
Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has raised a very valid and pertinent point when he has pointed out that there are no bank details in BPL cards to credit the amount to the account of beneficiaries in lieu of the additional 5 Kg. of rice till supply of rice in adequate quantity is procured. Bank details are necessary for the government to credit the “Gruha Lakshmi” amount of Rs. 2000 to the woman heads of the family also. Bank details have to be collected from the unemployed also if the announced unemployment allowance has to be credited to their account also. At present the government has maintained “stoic” and “eerie” silence in so far as its promise of unemployment allowance is concerned. The government has been heaving a sign of relief at the unemployed not insisting for payment of the promised amount. The opposition parties have also not bestowed their attention to pull and embarrass the government on the issue of unemployment allowance. The plight of Karnataka government is akin to “acting in haste and repenting at leisure” following the promises made in the election manifesto on the eve of Assembly elections. The promised freebies have not only cast heavy financial burden on the government but they also have put heavy additional burden of work on the existing staff. The government has been visibly struggling to fulfil the guarantees promised. It has not been in a position to fulfil the guarantees as promised in the election manifesto. The government has been working day in and day out to preclude a good chunk of people from the ambit of guarantees so that the financial burden is minimised to the maximum extent. Still the ruling party has been boasting that it has fulfilled as it promised. It would be wrong to say that the government has not attempted to fulfil its promise. It can be unambiguously said that it has not been fulfilling its promise as stated in the manifesto. It was promised before election that 200 units of free electricity would be given to the domestic consumers. As per this promise, the government is liable to give 200 units of free electricity to all domestic consumers. And anything in excess of it should be chargeable. No matter even if the rate per unit had been made applicable on the slab applicable for units in excess of 200 units. After coming to power, it laid the condition that free quota would be allotted based on the average consumption during the financial year 2022-23 plus 10 per cent. In this case, a consumer is liable to pay for that proportion of units which he exceeds the entitlement given to him. If the consumption exceeds 200 units, the consumer is liable to pay for the entire consumption. In doing so, the promised 200 free units are denied. As regards, supply of 10 Kg. free rice, the ruling party did not give the inkling that the centre is giving 5 Kg. and in addition to that another 5 Kg. of rice would be supplied by the state government. The ruling party made a vain bid to show to the people that the entire 10 Kg. of rice would be supplied by the state government. Again here, the Congress party has not fulfilled its promise as stated in manifesto. As regards Gruha Lakshmi, the Congress party promised that the woman head of the family would be given Rs. 2000. The joint family system has been facing extinction. Keeping the joint family system in mind, the Congress promised that the woman head of the family would be given the amount. There can be no problem if the eldest woman member of the family is considered as the ‘head’ wherever the joint family system is subsisting. But nuclear family system is on rise. In such a case, the benefits of Gruha Lakshmi must be given to woman head in every family. The Congress party would have been wiser if it had promised to extend the benefit of Gruha Lakshmi only to the jobless woman heads. As per promise, the government is liable to pay to all the woman heads if the married sons are living separately and also in a different place. But this benefit is not going to be extended to them. Here also, one can see the gap between promise and performance. In so far as unemployment allowance is concerned, the government had promised it to all. After coming to power, the ruling party said that the allowance would be paid to only those who have passed the degree or diploma after the academic year 2022-23 for a period of 2 years. Promise made in the manifesto does not stipulate any such conditions. Hence this is also breach of promise. At present this promise seems to have been put in ‘cold storage’. Promise that cannot be implemented should not be made. Promise that can be implemented should be necessarily honoured. Bernard Baruch, an American financier and Statesman, aptly says “Vote for the man who promises least; he will be the least disappointing”.
K.V. Seetharamaiah.
