Guarantee schemes trigger war of words in Karnataka’s Legislative Council

A war of words broke out between the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party members in the Karnataka Legislative Council over the State government’s guarantee schemes, with former Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti alleging that the programmes had contributed to a shortage of farm labourers in rural areas.

Participating in a discussion on the drought situation on Thursday, Mr. Horatti said, “I rear 80 cows, cultivate fodder on 10 acres, and supply milk to a dairy every day. But after the guarantee schemes were introduced, there is nobody to water the cattle or supply milk to the dairy.”

He said cotton growers in his region were also struggling to find workers to harvest their crop. “The cotton is ready in the fields, but there are no workers to pick it,” he said.