K'taka govt set to launch 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, Kharge, Rahul to attend

The Karnataka government will launch on Wednesday a scheme offering Rs 2,000 monthly financial assistance to more than one crore women who are heads of their households, in the presence of AICC president M Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the district headquarters town of Mysuru, officials said on Monday.

According to officials, about 10.8 million potential beneficiaries have enrolled for the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, one of the five pre-poll 'guarantees' of the Congress, which ousted the BJP from power in the May Assembly elections.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru today that about one lakh people would gather at the function, where the scheme would be launched by Kharge, while he would preside over the event and Gandhi would be present.

He said it's government function and added that Kharge and Gandhi would attend the event in their capacity as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and as member of the Parliament, respectively. "It's not a party function".

The chief minister said the government has already implemented three of the five 'guarantees' (pre-poll promises) -- 'Shakti', 'Gruha Jyothi' and 'Annabhagya' -- and noted that 'Gruha Lakshmi' is the fourth one.

Siddaramaiah said last week that the government would directly transfer Rs 2,000 a month to the bank accounts of the enrolled 1.08 crore women.

The government has earmarked Rs 17,500 crore for the 'Gruha Lakshmi' programme in the current financial year, he had said.