The Karnataka Government’s recently introduced ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme, aimed at providing Rs. 2,000 to women heads of households, has become the subject of a heated debate as opposing factions clash over the conditions attached to the programme. Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has tried to defend the Government’s stance, stating that the scheme was designed for welfare of the underprivileged.
Shivakumar argued that individuals who file income tax returns have not expressed a need for the assistance provided by the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme. He claimed that the Government had received numerous letters from individuals who stated their non-requirement of the Rs. 2,000 benefit. Although Shivakumar refrained from disclosing the identities of those individuals, he defended the Government’s decision to impose eligibility conditions, citing the need to prioritise resources for those most in need.
The Deputy Chief Minister’s statements did very little to quell the criticism from Opposition parties, with prominent BJP leaders like Tejasvi Surya and Nalin Kumar Kateel, accusing the Congress of betraying the trust of the people. Surya condemned the Government’s handling of the scheme and questioned the sincerity of its intentions.
As the political battle rages on, the BJP and JDS leaders’ attacks on the Government over the eligibility conditions of the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme have further intensified. In response, Shivakumar dismissed the criticisms as acts of “jealousy”.
The ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme’s implementation guidelines were released by the Women and Child Development Department late on June 6. However, the controversy surrounding the eligibility conditions has fuelled dissent within the BJP, with several leaders expressing their disagreement and threatening to stage protests against the Government’s decision.