Karnataka govt formally launches 'Gruha Jyothi' free power scheme, CM and Kharge target PM Modi
Kalaburagi (K'taka), Aug 05: The Karnataka government on Saturday formally launched 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme, one of the five poll guarantees of the Congress party, which promises to provide up to 200 units of free power to households in the state.
Formally launching the scheme by handing over the "zero bill" to 10 people symbolically, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress national President Mallikarjun Kharge targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the ruling Congress of "emptying" state coffers for selfish interests through populist announcements.
With the launch of 'Gruha Jyothi', the state government has implemented three of the five poll guarantees so far, the other two being, Shakti', by providing free services for women in public transport buses, and Anna Bhagya' scheme by payment of cash in lieu of the additional 5 kg rice to beneficiaries.
The CM indicated that 'Gruha Lakshmi' to provide Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family will be launched mostly on August 24; and 'Yuva Nidhi' to provide Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders will be launched by December end or January.
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"We had promised to provide up to 200 units of free power. There are 2.14 crore consumers eligible under Gruha Jyothi, and 1.42 crore households have registered. The scheme has come into effect on July 1, as the bill for July electricity consumption will come in the beginning of August, it is being formally launched today," Siddaramaiah said.
The benefit under the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme is calculated based on average consumption for financial year 2022-23, plus 10 percent additional, but total amounting to less than 200 units.
Asserting that there will be a "Karnataka Model" of development, Siddaramaiah said that along with implementing five poll guarantees, his government will implement 76 promises, as announced in the budget, and challenged the BJP to implement the guarantees across the country in all states, if it has "guts".
"We will fulfill all the promises made in our manifesto, there is no need to have any doubts about it. The opposition is spreading false information that it is not possible to implement five guarantees. Even the Prime Minister of the country has said in Pune that if the guarantees are implemented Karnataka will face economic bankruptcy," he said.
"I want to tell Narendra Modi that we will implement the five guarantees, we have provided money for it in the budget. Karnataka is not bankrupt. It is in fact Narendra Modi who has made this country bankrupt, not us," he said, alleging that during three years and 10 months of BJP rule the state was looted, and there was maladministration.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, also Ministers K J George, Priyank Kharge, Sharan Prakash Patil, Eshwar Khandre, among others were present at the event.
There is a talk across the country regarding the Congress government's five guarantee schemes, Mallikarjun Kharge said, one after the other they are being implemented, as they are not "bogus announcements."
Congress always walks the talk, while Prime Minister Modi who had promised to generate 2 crore jobs and deposit Rs 15 lakh in every bank account has not kept up his promises.
Hitting out Modi for criticising the Karnataka government's guarantee schemes and claiming that the state was being led towards "bankruptcy" at a function in Pune recently, the AICC chief said, fearing consequences in Parliamentary polls on praising the good work of the state government, the PM is making such allegations.
"He (PM) has intelligence and all other agencies under him, let him get it checked whether the schemes are being implemented on the ground and whether it is reaching people," he said.
Speaking at his home turf of Kalaburagi, from where he lost 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Kharge said, if this country has to be safe, Congress will have to come to power, 'INDIA' (alliance) parties will have to come to power in the Parliament.
The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, also urged the government and CM to pay attention to the development of the Kalyana-Karnataka region, which is considered to be the backward region of the state, with respect to infrastructure like -- schools, hospitals, roads among others, and to ensure that programmes and projects reach the people there.
"Ensure that the government programmes are launched from here, so that it instills confidence among people here. Also Kalyana Karnataka has always given you (Congress) more than 50 per cent of the seats."
Pointing out that so far 1.42 crore households have registered under the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme, Energy Minister K J George said, this is not a free scheme, it is to improve the financial condition of the people in distress.
"There is no deadline to apply for this scheme. Those who will register by August 27 will also get the benefit of the scheme, when they get the bill for August electricity usage in the first week of September," he said.
Of the 1.42 crore applicants so far, close to 18 lakhs were received from beneficiaries of various existing schemes such as Bhagya Jyothi, Kuteera Jyothi and Amrut Jyothi.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
