Karnataka Guarantee Schemes: Leader of Opposition Demands Transparency Amidst Irregularity Suspicions

BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka claimed that there were suspicions of irregularities in the guarantee schemes, as the figures available with the government do not match. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar should release a white paper and provide accurate information in the Assembly, he said. Ashoka said in the Independency Day speech, the CM stated that under the Shakti scheme, 3.5 crore women in the state have undertaken 796 crore free journeys, for which Rs 14,875 crore has been spent over three years. “However, according to an official post from the Chief Minister’s X account (June 11, 2026), by the time the government completed three years, women had undertaken 753.7 crore free journeys and free tickets worth Rs 19,771 crore had been issued. Prior to that, in an X post on May 25, 2026, it was mentioned that 726 crore free journeys had been made and Rs 18,943 crore had been spent. When these are compared, a difference of around Rs 5,000 to 6,000 crore emerges. The government must clarify how the expenditure that had increased has suddenly decreased,” the LoP said.