Karnataka: 1.12 Lakh Beneficiaries Removed from Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, Government Flags Irregularities

Karnataka government has removed over 1.12 lakh ineligible beneficiaries from the Gruha lakshmi scheme after a statewide verification drive. Officials found deceased and tax-paying beneficiaries on the list and flagged major irregularities across districts.

In a major clean-up exercise, the Karnataka government has identified and removed 1,12,092 ineligible beneficiaries from the ‘Gruha lakshmi’ scheme. The statewide verification drive revealed that several recipients were either deceased or financially ineligible, prompting officials to delete their names from the beneficiary list. The action is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that welfare benefits under the government’s guarantee schemes reach only eligible and deserving households.

Large-Scale Verification Reveals Irregularities

The Gruha lakshmi scheme, one of the state’s five major guarantee programmes, is currently under detailed scrutiny. Officials found widespread irregularities during the verification process across multiple districts.

Out of the total removed beneficiaries, 67,869 were found to have passed away, although payments were still being credited to their bank accounts. In addition, 41,848 women were found to be paying Income Tax or GST, making them ineligible for the scheme.

In total, 1,12,092 names have been removed so far across 17 districts.

Chief Minister Confirms Ongoing Review

Speaking to the media in New Delhi on June 11, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the government is reviewing allegations of misuse of guarantee schemes.

He stated that there were complaints of benefits being wrongly transferred, including payments made to deceased beneficiaries, misuse of free electricity connections for commercial purposes, and cases linked to changed mobile numbers.

He added that the government’s objective is to ensure that benefits reach the intended citizens. However, he clarified that he was not aware of any decision regarding cuts in Gruha lakshmi payments.

Biometric Verification to Prevent Misuse

To prevent further irregularities, the Women and Child Development Department is planning to introduce biometric verification for beneficiaries. Under the new system, applicants will be required to renew their details using biometric authentication within a week.

The Gruha lakshmi scheme provides ₹2,000 per month to the woman head of a household.

District-Wise Removal of Beneficiaries

The government has also released a district-wise list of beneficiaries removed from the scheme. The highest numbers were reported from Mysuru, Bengaluru South, and Chitradurga districts, among others.

Recovery of Misused Funds Underway

The scheme was launched in August 2023, and regular monthly payments have been credited since then. Officials have now begun efforts to recover funds that were wrongly transferred to deceased beneficiaries.

An official from the Women and Child Development Department told media that steps are being taken to recover the amounts and strengthen verification mechanisms. Local Anganwadi workers are also being involved in collecting and updating beneficiary data.