Dravidian Model Goes To Karnataka: Congress Govt Puts Conditions For Women To Avail ₹2000

In a move reminiscent of its alliance partner in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, the Karnataka Congress has backtracked on its promise to provide Rs 2000 to all woman heads of families under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. The party now states that the scheme will only be applicable to eligible beneficiaries.

This tactic mirrors the deceiving approach employed by the DMK, which initially declared it would provide 1000 rupees to all women in households but later restricted the scope to a lesser number of beneficiaries after assuming power.

The Karnataka cabinet recently decided to implement the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme, which aims to provide financial assistance to women in the state. However, the Women and Child Development Ministry has issued detailed guidelines, including specific conditions to qualify for the scheme, raising concerns among the public.

According to the guidelines released by the department, the scheme will not be applicable to women who pay Income Tax or file Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns. The Congress had initially promised to provide Rs 2,000 per month to every woman heading a family in Karnataka.

The cabinet’s decision to implement the scheme from August 15 was met with anticipation, but the subsequent eligibility criteria have caused disappointment and confusion among potential beneficiaries.

Eligibility requirements include holding a Below Poverty Line (BPL) or Antyodaya card issued by the Food and Civil Supplies Department. Additionally, the beneficiary must be clearly identified as the woman head (Yejamani) of the family on the aforementioned cards. In cases where multiple women reside in a household, only one will be eligible to receive the scheme’s benefits.

On the other hand, certain groups are excluded from eligibility. Women who pay Income Tax or file GST returns, as well as women whose husbands pay Income Tax or file GST returns, will not qualify for the scheme. Furthermore, women whose names are not listed as the heads of the family on their BPL, APL, or Antyodaya cards will also be ineligible.

The recent developments have ignited a debate over the Congress party’s commitment to fulfilling its promises and its stance on providing financial assistance to women in need.

Tejasvi Surya, the Member of Parliament for BJP Bengaluru South, strongly criticized the announcement made by the Congress government regarding the restrictions placed on beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. In his scathing remarks, he stated, “Once again, the Congress has let down the people of Karnataka. Despite their initial promise to provide Rs 2,000 per month to the woman head of every family, the Sri Siddaramaiah Government has now revealed an extensive list of conditions. Shockingly, these conditions exclude government and private employees, entrepreneurs, and individuals who file income tax returns or receive GST refunds. This means that a significant number of women in the state, who were eagerly awaiting the monthly assistance of Rs 2,000, have been deliberately left out of the scheme.”

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