Hunger-free Karnataka is Cong's motto: CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Congress government in the state had only one motto of making Karnataka hunger-free.

Speaking after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for the construction works worth Rs 592 crore here for Udupi Assembly constituency on Monday, the CM said the Congress-led state government has spent nearly Rs 86,000 crore on developmental works in five years as compared to Rs 25,000 crore spent by the previous BJP government. He added that of the 165 poll assurances, 155 have already been fulfilled. The remaining would be fulfilled by March. "By March, the Congress government would achieve cent per cent success in fulfilling the poll assurances," he said.

He added that democracy is nothing but taking all along and responding to the problems of the people. He confidently said that his government has performed better and he has all hopes that people would surely bless his government for the second term.

He added that the state government is striving hard to eliminate poverty. He challenged BJP to show at least one state which is run by BJP that is offering free rice.

He added that Rs 5 is given as an incentive to milk per litre. He said online marketing system introduced in 157 APMCs has resulted in 38% hike in the profit margin gained by farmers. The data has been made available by NITI Aayog.

He said that housing loans have been waived and under Krishi Bhagya, 1.82 lakh farm ponds have been dug in the state to help farmers in dry land area. There are 24.1% of SC/STs in Karnataka and the funds allotted to the community is based on the population ratio.

The chief minister maintained that 10 lakh pregnant women have benefited under Mathrupurna Yojane. As many as 200 Indira canteens are already functioning.

By March, many more Indira canteens would be set up, he said.

Asserting that health and education is the primary area of concern, the CM said that 1.40 crore BPL families have benefited under free health care amenities scheme.

He added that BJP leaders are big liars and claim all the work done by Congress as their own. He alleged that BJP does politics on dead bodies and divides people by creating hatred.

He said that politics should be used for development and not for religious propaganda. He added that politics should be introduced to empower people and not to keep them apart. He said that former chief minister Yeddyurappa's Mission 150 has turned out to be Mission 50.