"Fulfilled our promise" says RaGa as K'taka launches Gruha Lakshmi scheme

MYSURU: Congress-ruled Karnataka government on Wednesday rolled out the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme one among five poll promises made by the Congress during its election campaign.

Under the scheme, the state government will provide Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of BPL families.

The scheme was launched in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi.

At the launch event in Karnataka's Mysuru, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that today crores of women had received Rs 2000 directly into their bank accounts.

"Before the elections, the Congress party had made five promises to Karnataka. We had said that when Congress party and its leaders say something, they do it. Today, when we click on the tablet, crores of women receive Rs 2000 directly into their bank accounts," Rahul Gandhi said. "Like today, Crores of women will be getting Rs 2000 monthly in their bank accounts through direct transfer method," he said.

"We had told you that after elections women in Karnataka will not have to make any payment for travelling on buses. The scheme was called 'Shakti' and we fulfilled it," Rahul Gandhi said.

Drawing attention to Karnataka's five poll promises, Rahul Gandhi said out of the five, four schemes were formed for women." There is a deep idea behind this".

According to KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, it will be the "world's largest-ever welfare scheme for women".

1.28 crore female family heads in Karnataka are expected to receive this financial aid deposited directly into their bank accounts from today.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that his government has the political will to implement five guarantees that were promised to the people in the state by Congress. The Karnataka CM had said that the five schemes will cost the state exchequer approximately Rs 50,000 crore every year.

Earlier Congress during its poll campaign in Karnataka this year had announced the five main guarantees to the people of Karnataka.

The five 'main' guarantees are 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti); Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi); 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya); Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (Yuva Nidhi) and free travel for women in public transport buses (Uchita Prayana).