We'll empower Ayukta, scrap ACB: BJP

Bengaluru: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi making an issue of corruption in the state these elections, the  BJP manifesto released by its state chief, B S Yeddyurappa on Friday, has promised to scrap the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) set up by the present government  amidst much controversy and fully restore the powers of the Lokayukta  if elected on May 12.

It also promises to set up a 24x7 anti- corruption helpline directly under the Chief Minister's Office to help people report corruption. Interestingly ,it  plans to introduce a Karnataka Whistleblowers' Act to protect those, who expose corruption. Other promises include providing 24x7 electricity supply across the state and  the setting  up of a Rs. 500 crore Devalaya Purnnaruthana Fund to renovate and restore temples and maths. And if the party has its way there could be 300 Mukhya Mantri Annapoorna Canteens in the state on the lines of the present government's Indira Canteens.

Bengaluru gets special attention too with the party promising to enact a Nava Bengaluru Act to cater to the city's unique needs, extend the  Bengaluru Metro to all urban areas  in a phased manner, complete the Bengaluru Suburban Railway project with Central assistance of Rs. 17,000 crore, introduce a comprehensive infrastructure action plan for the city and restrict the entry of public and private inter-city bus services into the city by building Multi- Model Transport Hubs on the outskirts.

Women get a string of schemes such as a Mukhya Mantri Smartphone Yojane for those from BPL families,  three grams gold thali and Rs. 25,000 in cash for the weddings of  BPL women under the 'Vivaha Mangala Yojane,'   a Rs. 10,000 crore 'Stree Unnati Fund' besides 'Stree Unnati' stores to market their products and a jump in the amount payable at maturity under the Bhagyalakshmi scheme to Rs. 2 lakh. 

The manifesto has something for farmers as well , promising to waive off crop loans to the tune of one lakh rupees taken from both nationalized bans and co-operative societies,  a trip for 1000 farmers to China and Israel every year,  a Rs. 100 crore fund for a 'Raitha Bandu' scholarship for farmers' children, besides  three phase uninterrupted power supply for 10 hours. Then there is the promise to set up  60 Namma BPO complexes across the state ,  establish a corpus of Rs. 250 crore for low interest loans to encourage  BPOs, and introduce a Mykhya Mantri Laptop Yojane to provide every student enrolling in collee free laptops. The BJP has also assured health security to the people of Karnataka through the 'Ayushman Karnataka Scheme'  and the setting up two Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences on the lines of AIIMS. 

In an attempt to extending its appeal wider, the party has promised to come up with separate packages for the Valmikis, Tigalas, the Savit Samaja, Idigas, Billavas and Yadavas. 

Calling the manifesto realistic, Mr Yeddyurappa said  considering the state's financial condition, it had set achievable goals for farmers, women, youth, SC/STs and the OBCs. 

Rahul taunts PM on graft talk

At a rally in Gadag district, Mr Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has often called the Siddaramaiah government corrupt and a "10 per cent sarkar", saying that he had no moral right to speak about corruption when he himself shared the dais with several ex-jailbirds among BJP leaders during his campaign in the state.

"The Reddy brothers have looted the state exchequer to the tune of '35,000 crore. The amount they have looted equals the funds utilised by the UPA government at the Centre across the country under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mgnregs) to provide employment to rural labourers," he said, adding that although the Congress had jailed the Reddy brothers for their involvement in  corruption, Mr Modi had released them after coming to power. "The money looted by them belongs to the farmers and should have been used to waive off their loans. The farmers, workers and all the poor are with the Congress as it practices what it preaches," the Congress president said, promising to set up more food processing industries to help farmers and fetch them a good price for their produce.