Karnataka women use Gruha Lakshmi scheme funds for education and business

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar met with beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme in Bengaluru to hear how monthly cash deposits have impacted their lives.

The meeting occurred as the scheme marked three years of implementation. Women from various districts shared how the government payments allowed them to fund their children's education and healthcare.

One woman from Chikkamagaluru district used the funds to pay 59,000 rupees for her son's medical studies, while another woman from Channarayapatna used the money to send her daughter to Malaysia for a dance performance. Participants also described how the money supported local economies and personal dignity. A woman from Kudligi taluk explained that her self-help group used the scheme funds to start a sheep rearing business.

The group grew from five sheep to a flock of 300, which now employs five men. Another woman from Gadag district stated that the payments helped elderly women purchase medicine and maintain their dignity. D.K. Shivakumar stated that the government has spent 86,000 crore rupees on the scheme so far. He promised to continue the program and announced plans to hold conventions across the state once total spending reaches 1 lakh crore rupees.

The Chief Minister warned beneficiaries against using the money for high-interest loans or chit funds. He noted that a folk song inspired his decision to include the Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes in the election manifesto to empower women.