Guarantee schemes a model for rest of the country, says Boseraju

Kodagu district in-charge Minister N.S. Boseraju said on Saturday (November 22) that the five guarantee schemes introduced in the State have emerged as a model for the rest of the country.

He was speaking after inaugurating a district-level workshop on the implementation of guarantee schemes in Madikeri.

The Minister said the success of the programme proved that social welfare projects can be implemented universally and efficiently and the benefits would accrue to all sections of society.

Mr. Boseraju said the State government was delivering on the assurances given during the Assembly elections and ensuring that every resident of Karnataka benefitted from at least one of the five flagship schemes.

The Siddaramaiah-led government had retained the trust of the people by fulfilling its commitments. Out of the State’s ₹4 lakh crore budget, ₹55,000 crore was being allocated annually for the implementation of the guarantee schemes, he added.

He pointed out that the Shakti scheme alone had seen extensive usage, with women making free bus journeys across the State; this included 16,000 daily commuters in Kodagu district alone, while over 600 crore free rides have been registered by those availing the scheme across the State.

He pointed out that as many as 19 Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation routes in the district have been patronised heavily and enabled women to avail the full benefits of the scheme.

He listed other schemes including Gruha Jyothi, under which households receive free electricity up to 200 units per month, while eligible women receive ₹2,000 a month under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.

The schemes, he emphasised, had been implemented without any distinction of caste or religion and from January 2026, the government will roll out Indira Aahara Kit to support economically vulnerable families.

The Chief Minister’s Legal Adviser, A.S. Ponnanna, said the government is working to achieve social justice and ensuring that funds under the guarantee schemes reach the poor directly.

He argued that the programmes had contributed to the economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities and strengthened democratic participation. Dr. Mantar Gowda, MLA, urged the government to integrate housing support as part of the guarantee framework and highlighted the need for Aadhaar cards, ration facilities and basic amenities for the sizeable Adivasi population in Kodagu.

H.M. Revanna, State chairperson of the Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority, said that Kodagu district had achieved 98 per cent coverage in implementation of the schemes.

Many beneficiaries shared their experiences and described how their families had managed expenses related to education, health, and daily needs owing to the guarantee schemes. An exhibition stall highlighting the various guarantee schemes was also inaugurated on the occasion.

Pushpa Amarnath, vice-chairperson, State Guarantee Scheme Implementation Authority, Deputy Commissioner Venkatraja, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat CEO Anand Prakash Meena, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, and others were present.