Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge Launch Karnataka Government’s ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ Scheme

30-08-2023 : Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge launched the “Gruha Lakshmi” plan in Mysuru that demonstrates the Congress party’s dedication to women’s empowerment and inclusive development. This programme, which gives a monthly allowance of Rs 2,000 to female family heads, is an essential component of the Congress-led administration’s larger plan to strengthen and aid the weaker sections of society.

Rahul Gandhi, addressing the gathering, shed light on the underlying philosophy behind the Congress party’s focus on women-centric guarantee schemes in Karnataka. Drawing an analogy with the growth of a tree or the stability of a building, he emphasized that just as strong roots and foundations are essential, the strength of a society hinges upon the well-being of its women. Highlighting the core principle that guided the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme and its counterparts, Rahul Gandhi firmly stated, “A building cannot stand firm without a strong foundation. Likewise, no society can grow stronger without the support of its women folk.”

The launch of ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ marks a notable milestone as the fourth guarantee scheme introduced by the Congress government, following ‘Shakti’ (free bus travel for women), ‘Gruha Jyoti’ (free power), and ‘Anna Bhagya’ (free rice). Symbolically rolled out across five districts—Mysuru, Mandya, Chamrajnagar, Hassan, and Kodagu—the scheme has garnered immense attention and support. Over 1.21 crore eligible beneficiaries stand to benefit from the cash disbursement, with 1.10 crore already registered.

Rahul Gandhi’s engagement was not mere rhetoric; he transferred Rs 2,000 directly to the bank accounts of one lakh beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. This act of solidarity underlined the Congress government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises to the people of Karnataka within the first 100 days of its tenure.

Gandhi attributed the genesis of the scheme to the collective wisdom of the people themselves. He recounted his interactions during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he walked approximately 600 km across Karnataka, engaging with women and gauging the challenges they faced. Rising costs of essentials, including petrol, diesel, and LPG, had put considerable strain on households. Against this backdrop, the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme was unveiled, coinciding with the Rakshabandhan festival, as a fulfillment of the promise made to the women of Karnataka.

Beyond being isolated measures, Rahul Gandhi stressed that these guarantee schemes signify a comprehensive “governance model” unique to the Congress party in Karnataka. He urged the replication of this model throughout the state to ensure equitable development and inclusivity for all sections of society, regardless of caste, religion, or language.

Kharge, echoing this sentiment, highlighted the party’s aspiration to replicate the “Karnataka model” in other parts of the country. He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticisms of the guarantee schemes as detrimental to the economy, asserting that their successful implementation was a testament to their viability.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, reflecting on the fiscal implications, noted that the five guarantee schemes would cost the state exchequer Rs 56,000 crore annually. Despite challenges, the government’s dedication to its promises remained unswerving, with successful implementations achieved within the prescribed timelines.

In this transformative moment, Laxmi Hebbalkar, the Women and Child Welfare Minister expressed her contentment that the Congress government had honored its commitment to women, thereby underscoring its commitment to making a meaningful impact on the lives of those it serves.

Key points :

1. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi transferred the amount into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries of Gruha Lakshmi Yojana, through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

2. Under the scheme, the state government will provide ₹2000 monthly assistance to the woman head of BPL familes. For this scheme, Karnataka has allocated a substantial ₹32,000 crore annually to support this scheme.

3. Women listed as family heads on Antyodaya, Below Poverty Line (BPL), and Above Poverty Line (APL) ration cards are eligible for the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme. Only one woman in a family will be the beneficiary of this scheme.

4. With the launch of the scheme, it is offering a monthly assistance of ₹2,000 to about 1.1 crore women who are heads of their households.

5. According to KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, it will be the “world’s largest-ever welfare scheme for women”. “Through this revolutionary scheme, the Karnataka government led by Siddaramiah will be distributing ₹2000 to 1.28 crore women. When Women are empowered-India is stronger,” he said in a post on X.

6. Women government employees taxpayers and families whose husbands pay income tax or file GST returns are not eligible for the scheme.

7. The objective of this project is to achieve gender balance cultivating financial support to housewives who are eligible for household duties.

8. The Women head of the families who has Above Poverty Line card (APL)/Below Poverty Line (BPL)/Antyodaya card and Bank linked Aadhaar card, Bank details, Aadhaar-linked phone number. If someone does not have their bank account linked with Aadhaar, then they can produce a passbook

9. Registration for the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme can be done both online and offline. For online registration, one can visit to portal.

10. Congress during its poll campaign in Karnataka this year had announced the five main guarantees to the people of Karnataka. The five ‘main’ guarantees are 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti); ₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi); 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya); ₹3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and ₹1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (Yuva Nidhi) and free travel for women in public transport buses (Uchita Prayana).

Meanwhile, the fifth guarantee ‘Yuva Nidhi’ (Youth Fund) which promises to give ₹3000 and ₹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 will be launched in December, as per sources.