In a challenging situation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faced inquiries regarding the status of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme in the Koppal district, raising concerns over the unfulfilled Congress promise of extending financial assistance to women beneficiaries.
During a media interaction, reporters pressed Siddaramaiah on the delayed implementation of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, specifically the provision of financial aid to women beneficiaries, a pledge made by the Congress party. In response, Siddaramaiah redirected the question to the District Collector, seeking clarification on the matter.
The District Collector informed the Chief Minister that financial assistance was being disbursed to the beneficiaries in installments, attempting to address the concerns raised during the media interaction.
However, the incident drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with party leader Amit Malviya characterizing the governance under Congress as a "colossal misgovernance." Malviya highlighted the confrontation between the reporter and Siddaramaiah, emphasizing the three-month delay in women from Koppal district receiving benefits under the Gruha Lakshmi Yojana, one of the five guarantees promised by the Congress.
According to Malviya, Siddaramaiah turned to the District Collector, who claimed that the financial assistance was being provided in tranches. However, this assertion was reportedly fact-checked by the local residents, indicating ongoing challenges in the effective implementation of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
The Gruha Lakshmi scheme, launched on August 30, was designed to offer financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to women beneficiaries. Despite government intervention to address technical glitches in November, the scheme faced temporary halts in various districts, with Koppal experiencing persistent issues.
