Karnataka is reviewing the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme to verify beneficiaries and address irregularities. Chairman HM Revanna said officials, ASHA workers and Gram Panchayat staff would visit beneficiaries' homes to collect details. Payments will continue for eligible women.
The Congress government in Karnataka has prioritised its guarantee schemes since coming to power, introducing them to provide financial assistance and other benefits to eligible beneficiaries. The state is now reviewing major schemes, including Gruhajyothi and the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, to address implementation-related issues and ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients. The revision of Gruhajyothi is almost complete, and the government has now turned its attention to the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, which provides monthly financial assistance to women who head households.
Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee Chairman HM Revanna shared these details in an exclusive interview with the media.
Money Deposited Into Accounts Of 1.22 Crore Women
“We promised these guarantee schemes before coming to power and implemented them within a year without bribes or middlemen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said we would not be able to do this, but we launched the schemes and are running them successfully,” Revanna said.
He added that the government had formed guarantee committees comprising 4,650 members to work at the grassroots level. The money is transferred directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
“So far, we have transferred Rs 79,404 crore to 1.22 crore women, providing Rs 2,000 every month to the female head of each family,” he said.
Irregularities Identified During Review
Revanna said the government had identified certain issues while touring districts and conducting meetings across 26 districts. The authorities have begun addressing these issues as part of the revision process.
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In some cases, payments under the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme continued to remain in bank accounts even after beneficiaries had died. The government subsequently initiated the recovery of Rs 117 crore transferred in such cases. Of this amount, Rs 47 crore has reportedly been recovered, while efforts are underway to recover the remaining funds, he said.
Special App Developed For Scheme Revision
The government is planning to introduce smart cards for beneficiaries and conduct another round of pre-verification under the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme.
“We have developed a special app for this process, which contains a set of questions to collect the required information. The details will include the woman's EPIC card number, address, mobile number, housing conditions and family income. The app is ready,” Revanna said.
Gruha Lakshmi Scheme Payments Will Continue, Says Revanna
Addressing concerns over the revision, Revanna said the government would not discontinue payments under the scheme. He also cautioned beneficiaries against believing rumours that the revision would lead to the suspension of financial assistance.
“Opposition parties may spread misinformation claiming that payments will be stopped because of the revision. However, we will not stop the payments under any circumstances. Our objective is to identify eligible beneficiaries and remove those who do not meet the eligibility criteria,” he said.
Officials To Visit Beneficiaries' Homes
Revanna said beneficiaries would not need to visit government offices to complete the verification process. Members of guarantee committees, ASHA workers and Gram Panchayat officials would visit their homes to collect the required information.
“We followed the same procedure during the Gruhajyothi revision. The process will continue in the coming days,” he said.
Government Highlights Financial Impact Of Guarantee Schemes
Revanna also said the government was currently disbursing payments together once every two or three months. He noted that Karnataka's budget had increased from Rs 2.5 lakh crore to more than Rs 4 lakh crore.
According to Revanna, the guarantee schemes had improved people's purchasing power and contributed to higher Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections. He also claimed that a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised the scheme.
