The Congress government, led by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which has so far implemented three of the five pre-poll guarantee schemes, completed 100 days in office on Sunday without fanfare.
However, the government is looking at the launch of Gruha Lakshmi — its most ambitious guarantee on August 30 in Mysuru — to commemorate the successful completion of 100 days in office; party leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to participate in it.
While the implementation of pre-poll guarantees — Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, and Shakti already, and Gruha Lakshmi set to be launched in a couple of days — has remained the highlight of the new government, it has also been under attack for alleged corruption in transfers of officials and in public contracts.
The government is also under scrutiny for reducing allocation of funds to development works in its bid to fund the guarantees that is likely to cost upwards of ₹54,000 crore annually. With a number of legislators complaining about fund allocation, the government was also forced to hold district-wise meetings with its legislators to pacify them.
“It has been 100 days since our government came to power. In the Assembly elections, voters reposed trust in us and gave us 135 seats, resulting in the formation of a stable government. By utilising this opportunity given by the people, we are trying to sincerely fulfil their expectations,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said in a statement on Sunday.
Invoking social justice, he said: “Along with the implementation of guarantees and development projects, we are leading the State in the path of equality shown by great personalities such as Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar, Kuvempu, Kanakadasa, and Narayana Guru. It is the century celebration for our journey which has started with the hope of reaching the last person of society through government programmes.”
Government sources said that an achievement report would also be released in a couple of days.
“Hundred days is too early to assess the performance of any government. Six months would be ideal. Even otherwise, the government has already implemented three guarantees and the fourth will be implemented soon. The government has delivered what was promised,” the sources maintained.
Meanwhile speaking to presspersons, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said: “People are seeing the work of the government in the last 100 days. While the guarantees have been implemented, the government has hit a century and moving forward.” He said: “Women are travelling for free across the State after the Shakti scheme was implemented. As many as 1.36 crore families are receiving free rice and 1.41 crore consumers are receiving power free. A total of 1.1 crore women will receive monthly assistance of ₹2,000 from August 30 and unemployed youth will receive the assistance from December.”
