Women healthier, families stronger, economies growing under K'taka's 5 guarantees: Jairam Ramesh

Bengaluru, Oct 3 (IANS) The Congress party has claimed that the Karnataka government’s five guarantees implemented over the past two years have delivered "impactful and measurable change".

Congress MP and party's General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh on Friday cited a report from an independent study involving four eminent research and academic institutes that comprehensively evaluated the results of these guarantees.

Jairam Ramesh issued a media statement in this regard, talking about the impact of the "successful" implementation of guarantees. "The verdict is unambiguous: Women are healthier, more mobile, and empowered in the family and in society. Families are making long-term investments in their health and education. Local economies are stronger, with demand boosted at the grassroots."

Jairam Ramesh further shared some of the report's highlights.

Talking about the Shakti (free bus travel) Scheme, he said, "19 per cent of the women beneficiaries found paid work or better jobs due to the mobility provided by buses – in Bengaluru Urban district, this proportion rose to 34 per cent. 80 per cent of the beneficiaries reported increased healthcare access. Notably, 72 per cent of the women surveyed reported that the scheme boosted their self-confidence and empowerment."

Under the Gruha Lakshmi (Rs 2,000 to women heads) scheme, 94 per cent used some part of the money on supplementing diet and nutrition, 90 per cent on healthcare, and about 50 per cent for their children’s education. Women are overwhelmingly using the funds to make long-term investments in their family’s wellbeing, he stated.

As per the Congress leader, under the Anna Bhagya (free rice), 94 per cent of the respondents reported receiving the benefits of the scheme. 91 per cent of the beneficiary families are spending on supplementary nutrition like vegetables and milk since the enhanced Anna Bhagya scheme covers their need for grains.

Ramesh stated, "Utilising Gruha Jyoti (free 200 units of power), 72 per cent of the women beneficiaries reported that their families now had greater utilisation of electricity, and 43 per cent purchased new time-saving and quality of life enhancing appliances."

"42 per cent of those who received the allowance under Yuva Nidhi (allowance for unemployed youth) used the funds for skill development and employment," Ramesh stated.

The Karnataka government's five guarantees are a set of welfare initiatives launched in 2023 to support low-income households, empower women, and address unemployment. The Congress-led government claims that these schemes are part of the Karnataka government's broader welfare agenda, aiming to uplift marginalised communities and promote social equity.

The Karnataka government has allocated approximately Rs 52,000 crore annually to fund its flagship welfare initiative -- the five guarantees scheme. This allocation is part of the state's broader budget, which for the fiscal year 2024-25 was set at Rs 3.71 lakh crore.

--IANS

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