Karnataka govt launches ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme

Seeking to fulfill another key pre-poll promise, the Congress government in Karnataka on Wednesday launched the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme, offering a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to about 1.1 crore women who are heads of their households.

AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were among those present at the public function on Maharaja College grounds, attended by tens of thousands of people.

“Gruha Lakshmi” scheme, rolled out amid fanfare, is one of the five pre-poll ‘guarantees’ of the Congress, which ousted the BJP from power in the May Assembly elections.

Earlier, the CM had said that his government has already implemented three of the five ‘guarantees’ (pre-poll promises) — ‘Shakti’, ‘Gruha Jyothi’ and ‘Annabhagya’ — and noted that ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ is the fourth one.

The government has earmarked Rs 17,500 crore for the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ programme in the current financial year.

The fifth guarantee Yuva Nidhi’ (Youth Fund) promises to give Rs 3000 and Rs 1,500 a month to the unemployed graduates and diploma holders, respectively, who failed to get a job even after six months of clearing the exam in the 2022-23 academic year. The scheme will be launched in December, officials said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the party has honoured key pre-poll promises made to the people in Karnataka and said that work carried out by the Siddaramaiah-led government would be replicated across the country.

AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge, who launched the scheme, was present along with party MP Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar at the public function held on Maharaja College grounds and attended by tens of thousands of people.

“We have kept our word on promises,” Gandhi said, speaking at the event. “We never make false promises”

“The work we have done in Karnataka will be replicated across India,” the former AICC President said.

“The five guarantees of the Congress are not just schemes; they are a governance model,” Gandhi said.

He also termed the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme as “the world’s largest cash transfer scheme” whereby Rs 2,000 will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of the millions of women beneficiaries.

Comparing Karnataka women with the roots of a tree, the Congress MP said if the roots are strong, the tree can withstand any storm.

Gandhi said that while walking the 600-km stretch in Karnataka during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ last year, he realised the women were peeved at the price rise in the country.

The challenges faced by women inspired the Congress to launch these guarantees, he added.

Taking a dig at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, he said there is a “fashion” these days that the “government in Delhi” only works for billionaires.

“Our thinking is that government should work for the welfare of poor people,” he said.

Kharge said no government in India has ever launched such a scheme and everyone is keen to implement it in their state.