Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said his government is distributing houses on a large scale to ensure that slum dwellers are brought into the mainstream.
The CM was speaking at a mega event organised for dedication of 42,345 houses out of 1,80,253 houses being constructed across the State under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana 'Shelter for All' through grant-in-aid of Chief Minister, and distribution of house allotment letters or title deeds on the occasion of golden jubilee celebration of the Slum Development Board.
Recalling his earlier tenure, he said, "When I was the Chief Minister for the first time (2013-18), our Congress government had built 14,58,000 houses and created history and we had brought about a housing revolution. After becoming the CM for the second time (in 2023), after distributing 36,789 houses in the first phase in 2024, our government is distributing 45,000 houses in the second phase." "We have fulfilled our promises," he said, hitting out at the BJP and the Centre.
Claiming that his government provides Rs 4 to 5 lakh for a house, but the central government contributes less than Rs one lakh, the CM said, "But the name of the scheme is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The money is ours, the state government's. Only the name is the Centre's." After the Congress government came to power, it has spent Rs 5,500 crore on housing in two years, he added.
Dismissing BJP's claims that the government's coffers are empty, the CM said, "We are giving Rs 2,500 crore as subsidy every year for farmers' pump sets. In addition, we are releasing a lot of money for social security schemes including widow's pension, old age pension." Earlier in the day, installing a cutout of political leaders for the event, a cutout accidentally fell, and three people were injured, and they are receiving treatment at a hospital in the city.
The CM visited the injured at the hospital after the event.
Expressing regret over the incident, Siddaramaiah directed the officials to provide the injured with the best possible treatment and medicines free of cost until they recover completely, his office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the BJP held a protest in the city, accusing the government of "violating the protocol" and neglecting the opposition party leaders from the government event.
