For those wondering if the five guarantees the Congress offered were solely to gain electoral victory in Karnataka or were part of a more definitive longer-term strategy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Budget provides a clear answer.
Rather than merely trying to scramble the resources to cover the five guarantees, Mr. Siddaramaiah has provided a clear affirmation that welfare has the pride of place in the thinking of the Congress government in Karnataka. He has not just provided the financial support for the five guarantees but added some more. There is now insurance for delivery personnel of e-service companies, new toilet complexes in 5,775 schools and 150 colleges, extension of nutritious food schemes for tribal communities, and even standardised grants for temples with no significant earnings.
