K'taka govt launches 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, to benefit 11 mn women

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.