K’taka: Gruha Lakhsmi scheme beneficiaries share pain over ‘stalled’ funds
Bengaluru: Gruha Lakshmi scheme is one of the flagship schemes of the Karnataka government, aimed at empowering women by providing financial assistance to female heads of households; however, the default in payment for months has left the beneficiaries high and dry.
Under the scheme, a monthly financial aid of Rs 2,000/- is given to eligible women, helping them manage household expenses and improve their livelihood.
As the state government defaulted on payments, it has left the beneficiaries under financial strain, and all they hope and wish is that it restarts soon.
A couple of beneficiaries said that Gruha Lakshmi funds were not deposited in their accounts, causing significant problems.
A beneficiary of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme told IANS, “It has been many months, but the money for the last three months has not come. If it comes, it will be good for us as well. We have children and have to pay rent. We do not have our own house. If the money is deposited, it will help us.”
In Belagavi district, the constituency of women and child development minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, women failed to get the funds, following which they urged her to release the funds for the two months.
Another beneficiary said, “Only the money for the past two months has not been received; the rest has been credited. The madam has done a lot of good for us. Although this problem has occurred, we have to manage.
Notably, the scheme is part of the five major guarantees of the Congress government, under which women of low-income households were promised Rs 2000 every month. The state govt spends about Rs 28,600 crore, a lion’s share of its budget, under this scheme alone.
As complaints of ‘freeze’ in fund disbursal surfaced, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy also questioned the Siddaramaiah government, seeking answers on non-payment of two months’ Gruha Lakshmi scheme benefits to women.
The Opposition party is putting pressure on the state government to release the Gruha Lakshmi funds for February and March, insisting that an investigation be conducted to find out where the funds for these two months went.