Bhagya schemes, guarantee programmes aid in reducing inequality, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on Wednesday that socio-economic empowerment was the key to ending inequality in society.

He was speaking at the ‘Bouddha Maha Sammelan’, an international Buddhist cultural convention organised by Karnataka Rajya Bhikku Sangha in association with other organisations.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said that merely exhorting from the pulpit to end inequality will not bring in the desired results as caste was well-entrenched and deep-rooted in the Indian society. He said it calls for legally-backed programmes by the government to set in motion a chain of socio-economic changes that will weaken the strangle hold of caste.

In this context, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that he introduced various bhagya schemes during his first tenure as the Chief Minister and followed it by the guarantee schemes in his second stint. The Chief Minister said that the current guarantee schemes had infused purchasing power among the poor, empowered women and marginalised communities, and served as instruments to promote economic justice through which social advances can be made.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said that his government had introduced several measures to empower marginalised sections, including the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (Planning, Allocation, and Utilisation of Financial Resources) Act, 2013, which ensured targeted funding for Dalits and Adivasis.

“We started with ₹15,000 crore, and today the allocation stands at ₹42,000 crore. Without economic strength, there can be no equality,” he said, pointing out that his government had also provided reservation in contract works.

Calling for renewed efforts to build an egalitarian society, Mr. Siddaramaiah said social equality cannot be achieved without economic and educational empowerment.

India’s caste-based inequalities continue to persist despite the teachings of Buddha, Basavanna and B.R. Ambedkar, who all sought to establish a just and humane social order, said Mr. Siddaramaiah, stressing the need for greater awareness and educational opportunities for all to break the caste hierarchy, which, he said, was based on exploitation.

He regretted that casteism was deep rooted and was practiced even among the educated. Quoting Ambedkar, he said that as long as inequality and caste discrimination exits, progress or change will be elusive. Mr. Siddaramaiah said that there were “Manuvadi” forces who opposed the ushering in of equality and cautioned against compromising with people opposed to the ideals of Buddha, Basava, and Ambedkar.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Minister for Social welfare H.C. Mahadevappa, former Mayor Purushottam, and Jnanaprakash Swami of Urilingapeddi Mutt were present.