Shivamogga (PTI): The Karnataka government on Friday launched the Congress party's fifth 'guarantee' offering unemployment monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 to graduates and Rs 1,500 to diploma holders.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah handed over cheques to six beneficiaries to symbolically kickstart the "Yuva Nidhi" scheme, meant for the graduates and diploma holders who passed in the academic year 2022-23 and remained jobless even after 180 days of completion of their education.

The stipend will be given only for two years and it will end soon after the beneficiary gets a job. Those who have enrolled for higher education and continuing studies are not eligible under the scheme.

The state government has earmarked Rs 250 crore for the scheme in the current financial year. It expects that next year, it will cost Rs 1,200 crore to the state exchequer and from 2026 onwards Rs 1,500 crore annually.

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The Congress government has already launched four guarantees -- Shakti', providing free rides to Karnataka women in non-luxury government buses, Anna Bhagya' offering 10 kg rice to BPL families, Gruha Jyoti' giving free electricity up to 200 units to household users, and Gruha Lakshmi' giving Rs 2,000 a month to women heads of families having APL/BPL ration cards.

"We will impart skill development training to the beneficiaries. The duration of this scheme is for two years. If they get a job whether private or government, the benefit will immediately stop. The skill development department will decide which training to be given," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

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New Delhi, Sep 13: In his first remarks after being released from the Tihar Jail, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said he will continue to fight "anti-national" forces working to weaken the nation, and asserted the incarceration has only strengthened his resolve.

Hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the Delhi excise policy case, Kejriwal stepped out of the jail to a resounding welcome by his party leaders and supporters.

Addressing party workers from the sunroof of a vehicle, Kejriwal raised slogans of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Vande Mataram'.

"I want to thank people who prayed for my release. You have braved rain to come here and I am thankful to you. Every drop of my blood is dedicated in the service of my nation. In my entire life, I have faced difficulties but the God has always been with me," he said.

Kejriwal stressed that the jail time has strengthened his resolve.

"They put me in jail to break me but my resolve has only grown stronger. Jails cannot break me. I will continue my fight against anti-national forces," he said.

Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and senior party leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, were waiting outside the prison to welcome Kejriwal.

Drenched in rain, Mann, Sisodia raised slogans from atop a truck hailing Kejriwal. Slogans like "Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal chhoot gaye", "Bhrastachaar ka ek hi kaal, Kejriwal, Kejriwal" rent the air.