Centre ensures benefits reach people: Karnataka CM

The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured that the benefits of various welfare schemes reached the people directly and not through middlemen, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday.

The Union government introduced the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to ensure that money meant for beneficiaries of government schemes is not grabbed by middlemen, he said, speaking at a meeting of beneficiaries held at the Karavali Utsav grounds here.

Around 1.7 lakh farmers in Dakshina Kannada district have received over Rs 500 crore under the Kisan Samman Scheme in the last four years, he said. The Assembly elections in Karnataka are due by May.

Bommai said the children of farmers are being provided education through the ‘Raitha Vidyanidhi’ scheme. Last year alone, Vidya Nidhi scholarships have been given to more than 40,000 children of farmers, he said.

He claimed that the Central and State governments did not go after publicity for the people-friendly schemes. The Congress promise of providing 200 units of power to everyone is a farce as no ordinary household uses more than 80 units of power.

Bommai said the BJP governments at the Centre and State had taken up various developmental schemes in the coastal region including introduction of 50 per cent subsidy for buying fishing boats and increased kerosene allocation for traditional fishermen.

The Chief Minister, who distributed benefits to targeted groups at the function, said the State’s development is dependent on the development of the coastal areas and the government is committed to its work in the region.

State Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture and DK district-in-charge V Sunil Kumar, Fisheries Minister S Angara, Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, Co-operation Somashekhar and MLAs from the district took part in the function.