Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment and District In-charge Eshwar Khandre interacted with the beneficiary of State Government Guarantee Schemes at an exhibition stand in Bidar on Tuesday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Our government is firmly pro-poor and committed to all-round development of the underprivileged. These welfare measures have earned Karnataka the distinction of having one of the highest per capita incomes in the country,” Forest, Environment and Environment Minister and District Director Eshwar Khandre said on Tuesday.
He was speaking after inaugurating a district-level ‘Guarantee Seminar-Guarantee Utsav’ on the implementation of five guarantee schemes of the state government in Bidar.
The minister said that more than four million people across the state have benefited from the five guarantee schemes. He said the Congress government had fulfilled the promises made in its election manifesto by successfully implementing all the five guarantees, despite initial opposition and criticism.
“Today, the same guarantees are being announced in other states,” he said.
Elaborating on the impact of the programs in Bidar district, Mr. Khandre said that 3,44,855 women have benefited from the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, under which ₹2,000 per month is directly credited to their bank accounts without intermediaries, which so far stands at ₹1,552 crore.
Under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, 3,48,617 beneficiaries are getting up to 200 units of free electricity for which ₹447 crore has been spent. He said that 13,13,355 people, which is about 80% of the population of the district, are covered under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
Under the Shakti programme, women in the district have taken more than 11 lakh free bus journeys for which the government has paid ₹315 crore to KSRTC, the minister said.
He added that a total of about ₹2,500 crore has reached the district through five guarantees, apart from ₹300 crore paid as crop compensation to farmers.
Karnataka State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Chairman HM Revanna said on the occasion that the state government has been consistently implementing people-oriented and pro-poor schemes.
He said the five guarantees have paved the way for upliftment of the poor and empowerment of women, with ₹51,000 crore going directly to the people every year.
He also noted that women in the state had taken 621 million free bus trips, a Guinness World Record, and said the guarantees were improving living standards.
The office’s vice-chairman, Mysuru division, Pushpa Amarnath said that the guarantee schemes strengthen the livelihood of the poor, empower women and contribute to the overall development of the state.
Source person Vasu HV said that the five guarantees have increased people’s purchasing power and income level. He said the schemes are in line with the directive Principles of State Policy and fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and are aimed at achieving economic equality.
During the programme, the minister visited an exhibition featuring products associated with five guarantee schemes organized by women’s self-help groups. He also distributed compensation checks to people affected by wildlife related incidents.
Published – 31 Dec 2025 19:29 IST
