From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Shivamogga, Jan 12: Launching the fifth guarantee of Yuva Nidhi to unemployed graduates and diploma holders in Shivamogga on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Congress government’s guarantees have enabled the poor and middle classes to become socially and economically strong.
Speaking after launching the fifth guarantee of Yuva Nidhi at the Shivamogga Freedom Park Stadium, the Chief Minister said the basic premise of the guarantees was universal income.
A surprise dignitary, who shared the dais with the Chief Minister at the Yuva Nidhi launch function, was Shivamogga BJP MP B Y Raghavendra, who is the elder son of former BJP Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and elder brother of State BJP President B Y Vijayendra.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Medical Educattion Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, Power Minister K J George, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, Sports Minister Nagendra, Fisheries Minister Mankala Vaidya, Chief Minister’s Political Secretary K Govindaraju, legislators Bheemanna Naik, Sangamesh, Thammaiah, Belur Gopalakrishna, Raje Gowda, Sharada Pooryanaik, Channabasappa, Tarikere Srinivas, Arun Kumar and others were also present.
As many as 1.18 crore women head of families are paid Rs 2,000 each per month under Gruhalakshmi. A total of 130 crore women enjoy the free travel in government buses throughout the State in Shakti and another 1.51 crore households are granted the benefit of up to 200 units of free power under Gruhajyothi and another the below poverty line families enjoy the benefits of 5 kg of rice and cash of Rs 170 each every month under Anna Bhagya. Now, the government is launching the Yuva Nidhi offering Rs 3,000 per month to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month to unemployed diploma holders.
“These are hard and incontrovertible facts, which must be studied and written about by meeting the beneficiaries and finding out how the guarantees have benefitted the poor and middle classes, especially women, by the media,’’ he said.
Siddaramaiah said the Congress government’s guarantees do not make the distinction of caste or creed and region. “It is available to people of Karnataka as promised by the Congress party during the assembly elections. The poor, middle classes and women are happy,’’ he said.
Each poor family gets roughly Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 crore every month and total saving for each poor family is ranging from Rs 48,000 to Rs 50,000, he said pointing out that the guarantees are helping the poor to tide over the inflation and rising prices of essential commodities. The purchasing power of the people is rising and the people, especially the women are happy, he said.
The Yuva Nidhi provides monthly payment of Rs 3,000 each and Rs 1,500 each to unemployed graduates and diploma holders respectively for two years.
“The government is not content with just paying the monthly payments to the unemployed youth. But the government is making arrangements to provide skills development training to enable the unemployed youth to get job in the government or private sector or take up self-employment ventures,’’ he said terming the guarantee as progressive and result oriented.
Even before the official launch of the Yuva Nidhi programme, a large number of youth and their families had assembled at the Shivamogga Freedom Park Stadium and were treated to enthralling music by popular Kannada songs and the boys and girls danced to the tunes.
Sant Shishunala Sharief’s ‘Kodaganna Koli Nungitta’, ‘Taravalla Thagee Ninna Tamboori Swara’ songs were rendered to music by Ajay Warrier and his troupe. Popular playback singer, Santhosh Dev, thrilled the audience with his song ‘Belli Moodito Koli Koogito’ that had been made memorable by Kannada film doyen Dr Raj Kumar. Singer Anuradha Bhat came out with ‘Appa I Love You’, ‘Kannu Hodiyaaka Monne Kalatani’ songs that mesmerized the young audience, which danced merrily.
‘Huttidare Kannada Naadalli Huttabekuu’, ‘Gombe Helutaite Matte Matte Helutaite Neene Raajakumara’ songs enthralled the audience bringing back memories of Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar.
Another attraction was the rendering of Kannada songs through violin by Dr Aneesh Vidyashankar.