1.33 crore women enrolled, Gruha Lakshmi is one of India’s biggest schemes, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

₹32,000 crore to be spent annually on the scheme that provides ₹2,000 a month to women; it’s the fourth guarantee being launched in Karnataka after Shakti, Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyothi schemes

Women outside a registration centre in Mysuru. According to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, 1.33 crore women have enrolled for the Gruha Lakshmi scheme in Karnataka, as on August 27, 2023.  | Photo Credit: M A Sriram

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the launch of Gruha Lakshmi scheme, the fourth guarantee of the Congress government in Karnataka, will be one of the biggest government programmes in India. Karnataka would be spending ₹32,000 crore annually on the scheme.

Addressing mediapersons on August 28 on arriving in Mysuru on a three-day visit, he said Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge will be launching the scheme in Mysuru on August 30. “This is a government programme. Mr Kharge and (Congress MP) Rahul Gandhi are participating as members of Parliament. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme launch is not a party event,” he said.

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Mr Siddaramaiah said 1.33 crore women (women head in household) have so far enrolled for the scheme, which provides ₹2,000 a month to beneficiaries. This year, the government would be spending ₹18,000 crore on the scheme (since we are already five months into the financial year). Next year, the spending will be around ₹32,000 crore. This is the fourth guarantee being launched after Shakti, Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyothi.

The Chief Minister is expecting one lakh people at the launch of the scheme in Mysuru. The programme in Mysuru would cover beneficiaries in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts. The scheme is also being launched in other districts, including Belagavi, where the event was originally planned.

Mr Siddaramaiah said each family in Karnataka will get a benefit of ₹4,000-₹5,000 a month once all five guarantees are implemented, empowering the families. The schemes will aid job creation and also improve GDP since the people will have cash in hand that empowers them to spend.

A large number of flex boards of Congress leaders have come up along the roads leading to the venue of the launch at Maharaja College ground in Mysuru. The front of the venue has been designed to resemble the Mysuru palace.

More than 200 buses will be plying to Mysuru on August 30 to bring beneficiaries from the four districts.