The Congress government in Karnataka, which recently completed two years in office, is facing mounting criticism over its poor governance record and unfulfilled promises. A detailed assessment by the civil society organisation Civic has painted a grim picture of inefficiency, misplaced priorities, and fiscal recklessness under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s administration.
At the “Namma Sarkar, Namma Report Card” program held at Hotel Parag in Bengaluru, Civic released two comprehensive reports evaluating the government’s performance based on RTI data, manifesto commitments, and public records. The findings have raised serious questions about the Congress government’s credibility and its much-hyped claims of “guarantee-based governance.”
Out of 134 electoral promises made across eight key sectors, the government has fulfilled a meagre 6.7 per cent. Shockingly, 54.5 per cent of the commitments have not even been initiated, while 37.3 per cent remain incomplete.
Civic’s report notes that apart from the five flagship “guarantee” schemes such as Gruha Jyoti, Anna Bhagya, and Shakti the government has fulfilled only four other promises: revising school textbooks, installing charging stations at metro and bus stations, introducing the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, and forming a welfare board for taxi and auto drivers.
Analysts say this exposes the hollow nature of the Congress’s populist governance model, which has prioritised short-term political gains over long-term development goals.
The report criticises the government for failing to complete metro projects on schedule and for its inability to fill over 62,000 teaching posts in government schools. Sectors such as urban development, healthcare, and administration have seen the least progress, with nearly 70 per cent of promises still to be fulfilled.
In education, while free water and electricity for schools have been approved, the introduction of facial recognition attendance systems has sparked privacy concerns.
The health sector’s budget allocation, at just 4 per cent, remains grossly inadequate. Civic warned that the privatisation of district hospitals under PPP models could undermine affordable public healthcare.
Environmental mismanagement is another glaring concern. The government has reduced lake buffer zones and permitted destructive projects within tiger reserves, disregarding warnings from conservation experts.
In the labour sector, although minimum wage reforms have been implemented, fragmented laws for gig, domestic, and transport workers have left thousands without social security.
The report also highlights the growing centralisation of power in Bengaluru’s urban administration. The introduction of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill (GBGA) has effectively curtailed local representation, with BBMP elections still pending.
Experts warned that unchecked encroachments and rampant construction have increased the city’s flood risk, as seen during the recent monsoon. “The government is governing Bengaluru through bureaucrats, not elected representatives. This is anti-democratic,” said one panellist.
Civic’s assessment of rural development was equally scathing. The indefinite delay in Panchayat elections has blocked the release of Rs 19,000 crore in local body grants, crippling grassroots governance. The report accused the government of undermining decentralisation and stalling local accountability mechanisms.
Presiding over the programme, retired IAS officer Dr TR Raghunandan said the purpose of the review was to encourage “participatory governance.” Still, the findings reflect a deep trust deficit between the government and the people.
Senior journalist Shivasunder described the event as “a platform for truth-telling,” while economist Prof. Vinod Vyasulu warned that Karnataka needs structural reforms beyond freebie-driven politics.
Representatives from major political parties participated in the discussion. BJP spokesperson Ashok K.M. Gowda accused the Congress of “spectacular failure in governance,” saying, “The government has failed to deliver even 10 per cent of what it promised. Guarantees have drained the treasury while real issues—education, health, and infrastructure have been neglected.”
JDS leader H.N. Devaraju echoed the sentiment, saying, “The Congress promised the sky but delivered nothing. Its entire focus has been on welfare schemes for votes, not reforms for growth.”
Even the Congress’s own spokesperson, E. Satyaprakash, admitted that “many promises remain unfulfilled” but insisted that they would be completed “within the government’s full term.”
Civic’s report also warned that the Rs 50,000 crore annual expenditure on guarantee schemes has severely strained the state’s finances. Funds intended for essential sectors, such as education, health, and infrastructure, have been diverted to sustain these politically motivated freebies.
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