New Delhi: The Karnataka government is set to launch a scheme offering Rs 2,000 monthly support to more than one crore women who are heads of their households on Wednesday (August 30) in Mysuru. The event will take place in the presence of AICC president M Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
About 1.08 crore potential beneficiaries have registered for the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, which is one of the five pre-poll 'guarantees' of the Congress, PTI reported citing officials.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru today, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said 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 that it's a government function and added that Kharge and Gandhi would attend the event in their capacity as Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and as member of the Parliament, respectively. "It's not a party function," he asserted.
He further stated that 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.
'Yuva Nidhi' the scheme to provide Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders is likely to be implemented by November or December.
Last week, Siddaramaiah had said 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.