Congress's guarantee schemes lifted over 5 crore people to middle class: Karnataka Governor Gehlot

Gehlot's praise of the guarantees came even as the BJP continues to needle the Siddaramaiah government over the schemes, terming them freebies.

Bengaluru: Karnataka is creating a global record by lifting five crore people out of poverty and giving them "middle-class status" thanks to the five guarantees, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot said on Monday, showering praises on the Congress' flagship programmes. 

Gehlot's effusive praise of the guarantees, which helped Congress storm to power in the Assembly polls, came even as the BJP continues to needle the Siddaramaiah government over the schemes, terming them freebies. 

"Due to the guarantee schemes implemented by my government, more than 1.2 crore families are coming out of the poverty line and rising to the middle-class status," Gehlot said in his address to the joint session of the legislature. 

"My government is observing significant changes indirectly in people's lives through guarantee schemes," Gehlot said. "The money in the hands of the people from the guarantee schemes has given a new boost to the economy...economic activities are picking up due to new accumulation of purchasing power among the people due to guarantee schemes," he said. 

Praising the implementation of the guarantees in a "short span of time without allowing any confusion and entanglements", Gehlot claimed that other governments are "competing" to adopt the schemes. The guarantee schemes have "provided solace" from "growing economic inequality", he said, adding that the rush to benefit from the schemes is "proof of how much these programmes were needed". 

Gehlot said concentration of wealth in a few individuals is not development. "...the government has decided to make economic development in such a way that the disadvantaged masses will be included in the overall economic development...Guarantee schemes are just a beginning in this regard," he said. 

"...Karnataka is leading economically by following the path of development by reducing economic inequality. Development not only means economic development, but also includes sustainable development and social harmony. With these factors my government has been following the 'Karnataka Model' from the moment it came to power," Gehlot said. 

Through Gehlot's address, the Congress government also sought to dispel the notion that the guarantees have sucked out funds for developmental activities. 

"Despite the drought, there is a record level of development," Gehlot said, noting that farmer suicides had reduced. "In these eight months, investment of more than Rs 77,000 crore has come into the state," he said.