The Karnataka Congress on Wednesday will launch the, Gruha Lakshmi scheme for women, which, the party claims, is the world's largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for women. Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the move by the Siddaramaiah government was aimed at fighting the "BJP-manufactured" inflation.
Surjewala said that the scheme was the result of direct discussions with stakeholders, ie women. "The BJP left no stone unturned to ruin the budgets of households. The BJP is taxing every food item under GST. As a result, middle-class families are suffering. Packets of food items now weigh less but cost the same. This is why we are launching the scheme."
Under the scheme, one woman from each household will get Rs 2,000. "This scheme is open to everyone, breaking the barriers of caste and religion, except those who pay income tax and GST," Surjewala said.
The money for Griha Lakshmi scheme will be deposited to the beneficiaries' accounts between August 15 and 20. Primary registration will take one month, but the process of registration will continue throughout the year.
Surjewala said a budget of Rs 18,000 crore has been provisioned for the Gruha Lakshmi scheme this year which will be used to benefit 1.11 crore women. "By next year, the number of beneficiaries of the scheme will increase to Rs 1.35 crore. Every year Rs 30,000 crore will be directly deposited in the accounts of women," Surjewala said.
In Karnataka, women head 1.28 crore families that hold ration cards. "They will be automatically eligible for the scheme Other families will also be able to take advantage of this scheme by getting themselves registered," he said.
"It is not too late for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to learn from Karnataka and reduce the prices of gas cylinders, petrol, diesel, and other essential commodities. Instead of humiliating the people of the state and the country by calling welfare schemes 'revadis (freebies)', the Centre should apologise and work for the welfare of the people," he said.