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Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar later said even though the five “guarantees” were a financial burden, the state government is firm in its commitment to continue with them
Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said there are no plans to revise or retract the guarantees, despite the mounting costs which CM Siddaramaiah estimated at over Rs 52,000 crore annually. (Image:News18/File)
The ruling Congress in Karnataka is navigating a fresh wave of controversy after deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s candid remarks about the state government’s flagship “guarantee” schemes, which he called a “burden” to the exchequer.
But, Shivakumar later appeared to change tack and said even though the five “guarantees” were a financial burden, the state government is firm in its commitment to continue with them.
He said there are no plans to revise or retract the guarantees, despite the mounting costs which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently estimated at more than Rs 52,000 crore annually.
“Guarantees are a burden for everyone, including the government, but we won’t stop it,” Shivakumar told reporters.
He said the primary concern with these schemes is the discovery of widespread leaks, where benefits are being drawn in the name of deceased individuals. He highlighted two major issues involving the misappropriation of resources, noting that some families continue to claim rice rations and financial aid originally allocated to elderly members who have since passed away. He said this has resulted in massive losses, prompting the government to initiate a rigorous accountability process to plug these gaps and ensure that funds reach only eligible, living beneficiaries.
“I am saying one thing and you are interpreting it differently. We don’t want to revise the schemes, but benefits are being collected in the name of dead people. Even rice is being drawn from the share of those who were old and have passed away. We are looking at fixing accountability on these two issues,” he said.
Adding to the government’s response, chairman of the guarantee implementation committee HM Revanna said a comprehensive survey has been conducted to identify these discrepancies. Since the schemes heavily rely on direct benefit transfer (DBT) systems, lack of real-time data on beneficiary deaths allowed payments to continue unnoticed for nearly two and a half years.
Revanna said the government is now focused on reclaiming these funds. “We have conducted a survey on this. Since the money was being sent via DBT, it was difficult to track whether the beneficiary was alive or deceased and, thus, money continued to flow. We have discussed taking that money back and have held consultations with the chief secretary, additional secretary, and bank officials to facilitate this recovery,” he said.
Siddaramaiah stepped in to provide broader context to Shivakumar’s comments, explaining that the term “burden” refers to the sheer scale of the Rs 52,000 crore annual expenditure rather than a lack of political will. He reassured the public that despite disbursed money toward these guarantees since their inception, the state’s development works have not been sidelined.
“Guarantees cost us over Rs 52,000 crore. He (DK Shivakumar) must have said it’s a burden in that sense. But we are carrying on development works,” Siddaramaiah said.
February 26, 2026, 20:11 IST
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