Bengaluru: In accordance with another key pre-poll promise, the Congress-led Karnataka government launched the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme in Mysuru on Wednesday. Under this initiative, the government will provide a monthly grant of Rs 2,000 to approximately to 1.1 crore women, who are heads of their households.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who addressed women at the launch meeting, said their party had made five main promises to Karnataka people at the time of the elections. "We had said that when Congress party and its leaders say something, they do it. Today, when we clicked on the tablet, crores of women received Rs 2000 directly into their bank accounts," he said.
Rahul Gandhi recalled how the Congress had made a promise that after elections, women in Karnataka will not have to make any payment for travelling on buses, saying that the scheme was called 'Shakti' and their party fulfilled it.
Along with Rahul, Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge and several ministers and party leader were present. On the question of whether implementing the 5 poll schemes served as a challenge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that if there is political will, there will be no challenges amid the developmental schemes for the people of the state. Addressing opposition claims that the government would struggle to fulfil these 'guarantees' without facing financial ruin, Siddaramaiah highlighted the successful implementation of the schemes so far.
Siddaramaiah stated, "A total of 1.1 crore women heading households will receive a monthly sum of Rs 2,000." The state has allocated Rs 17,500 crore for the 'Gruha Lakshmi' initiative in this fiscal year.
During a prior statement, Siddaramaiah estimated that around 100,000 individuals would gather at the public event marking the launch of the flagship scheme. He clarified that the presence of Kharge and Gandhi was in their roles as Leaders of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and as Lok Sabha members, respectively. This event is not a party-centric function, he emphasized.
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For the launch of the scheme, a sprawling stage has been set up at Maharaja College grounds in Bengaluru. The seating area, which can accommodate around 1 lakh individuals, spans 80 feet in length, 60 feet in width, and 8 feet in height. An expansive 140 feet LED screen has been installed behind the stage. Special restrooms have been arranged for VIP and VVIP attendees.
The Chief Minister said that his administration had already accomplished three of their five 'guarantees', 'Shakti,' 'Gruha Jyothi,' and 'Anna Bhagya.' 'Gruha Lakshmi' marks the fourth, while the 'Yuva Nidhi' scheme, promising unemployment allowance to the state's youth, will be the fifth scheme.
