Goddess Chamundeshwari, the revered deity of the Mysuru temple, is set to be a beneficiary of the Karnataka government's 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme. The initiative aims to provide Rs 2,000 monthly to women who head families and hold APL/BPL cards in the state. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has reportedly instructed to allocate this monthly allowance to Devi Chamundeswari. The decision comes after Congress MLC and state media cell vice-president Dinesh Gooligowada wrote to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, urging the inclusion of the goddess in the scheme.
Shivakumar, also Karnataka Congress chief, accepted the proposal and instructed Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar to deposit the sum at the bank account of Chamundeshwari temple every month.
In a press release, Gooligowda, according to PTI, said, "The Deputy Chief Minister immediately responded to my letter requested and instructed Laxmi Hebbalkar to deposit Rs 2,000 to Devi every month from her department or personally."
On August 30, Karnataka government launched the Gruha Lakshmi scheme from the palace city of Mysuru by depositing the first installment to Goddess Chamundeshwari temple. The initiative was unveiled by Rajya Sabha Leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at a session presided over by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in front of a large crowd of beneficiaries at Maharaja's College.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar dedicated it to the Goddess and prayed for the scheme's success, which aims to empower women from economically disadvantaged groups.