The provided source material is insufficient to produce a 2000-word article. Below is a factual summary based on available data.

The provided source documents contain information about various welfare schemes promised by the Congress party during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, referred to as "freebies" in Indian political discourse. However, these schemes represent government welfare programs rather than consumer marketing initiatives, promotional offers, or product sampling programs.

The Congress party announced five major guarantee schemes during the election campaign: Gruhalakshmi (₹2,000 monthly assistance to women heads of families), Gruhajyoti (200 units of free electricity to all households), Yuvanidhi (₹3,000 monthly for graduates and ₹1,500 for diploma holders), Annabhagya (10 kg free rice per person per month to BPL families), and Uchita Prayana (free bus travel for women in state public transport). Some sources also mention additional benefits like free diesel for fishermen, cow dung purchase programs, and lean period allowances.

The estimated annual cost of these programs varies across sources, with estimates ranging from ₹62,000 crore to ₹65,082 crore per year. According to one source, this represents approximately 20% of the state budget, with the costs split among different programs: ₹42,960 crore for Gruhalakshmi, ₹15,498 crore for Gruhajyoti, ₹5,728 crore for Annabhagya, and ₹896 crore for Yuvanidhi.

Financial experts and economists have expressed concerns about the fiscal sustainability of these programs. The Institute for Social and Economic Change notes that adding these costs to the existing fiscal deficit of approximately ₹60,531 crore would result in a total deficit of ₹1,25,613 crore, exceeding the recommended 3% threshold for fiscal deficit.

Some sources indicate that implementation challenges have emerged since the government took office, including increased costs in various sectors such as transportation fares and water bills. Reports suggest that the transportation corporation is facing financial strain due to the free bus travel scheme, with one source estimating monthly expenditures of approximately ₹417 crore for this program alone.

The economic context reveals mixed signals. Karnataka recorded significant growth in GST collection for 2022-23, achieving ₹83,010 crore against a target of ₹72,000 crore, representing 15% more than budget estimates. However, the massive scale of the promised freebies has raised questions about long-term fiscal health and the potential impact on infrastructure development.

Sources

1. Congress pre-poll guarantees in Karnataka might cost Rs 62,000 crore a year
2. Freebies promised by Congress in Karnataka may be hard to sustain
3. The Cost in Translation: What do Freebies Mean for K'taka Exchequer? BJP & Cong Manifestos in Numbers
4. Karnataka's Economy in Crisis: The Cost of Freebies and Mismanagement
5. Karnataka Congress Freebies: Ticket Fare Hike, Water Cess, Petrol Diesel Price
6. Rs 62,000 crore: Congress victory might cost Karnataka this much every year
7. Freebies Become A Burden For Siddaramaiah