Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday admitted that the government has given preferential treatment to AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) communities to ensure social security to them.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who completed two years in office on Wednesday, said “preferential treatment is given to AHINDA to ensure social justice to the poor by focussing more on social welfare schemes.” The Chief Minister, who had held several AHINDA conventions before joining the Congress in 2006, said under the Constitution, it is the responsibility of the State government to safeguard the interests of the poor belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, and the minority communities. Speaking at ‘Meet the Press’ organised by the Press Club of Bangalore and Bangalore Reporters’ Guild, he dismissed the charge that the government had protected interests of only the AHINDA communities.
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Listing out achievements, he said 21 lakh farmers had availed themselves of interest-free crop loans from cooperatives last year; as many as 1.08 crore BPL families got subsidised rations; and drip irrigation subsidy.
Unlike the previous BJP government, the Congress government headed by him remained “scandal-free”, he said. “I am satisfied with the performance of my government so far. We are not after publicity of welfare schemes,” he said.