Karnataka: BJP Asks Governor To Initiate Steps to Annul Cong Govt’s Guarantee Implementation Committees

Bengaluru: A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led by Leader of Opposition in Assembly R Ashoka and State BJP president and MLA BY Vijayendra on Wednesday met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot with an appeal to initiate steps to annul ruling Congress led State Government constituted Guarantee Implementation Committees terming the Committees a burden on State’s governance and fiscal health.

The BJP delegation stated to the Governor the Guarantee Implementation Committees are exclusively composed of Congress party workers making way for ‘arbitrariness’ and ‘unconstitutional’ political favoritism.

The Guarantee Implementation Committees have been constituted to monitor 5-schemes of the State Government such as free power supply of 200 units per family, free travel for women in State run buses across the State, Rs 2,000 cash benefit scheme for a female head of a family, 5 kg of additional rice to BPL card holders and unemployment stipend to unemployed graduates/diploma holders of the State.

Responding to BJP’s criticism of Guarantee Implementation Committees, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar referred to the appointment of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary being made Maharashtra Chief Minister’s political secretary and questioned “The motive behind the appointment?”

Shivakumar said the Implementation Committees have been constituted to monitor whether the schemes of the State Government reach the deserving beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the BJP delegation, in a memorandum, apprised the Governor over the substantial financial allocations by the State Government on these committees ranging from State level to taluks.

They pointed to the Governor, the State Committee led by Chairman enjoys cabinet rank with associated benefits and the Deputy Chairman holds the rank of Minister of State with associated benefits.

However, at the district level committees, the BJP delegation stated Chairman gets honorarium of 40,000 a month, Deputy Chairman receives a honorarium of Rs 10,000 a month and members derive Rs 1,100 per meeting. Such meetings are held twice a month.

While, at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) level, they said the Chairman gets Rs 40,000 a month and members get Rs 1,200 per meeting. Such meetings are held twice a month.

The amount spent on Guarantee Implementation Committees in total culminates to monthly expenditure of Rs 2.47 crore and when it is calculated to an annual financial commitment of about Rs 30 crore.