Karnataka to replicate Kerala’s Kudumbashree model to empower women

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka government plans to replicate Kerala’s Kudumbashree programme to empower women.

“We are providing Rs 2,000 to every woman head of families under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. We are considering helping them organise into 'Stree Shakti' self-help groups and encouraging them to take up income-generating activities by facilitating assistance from financial institutions,” said CM Siddaramaiah during his Independence Day speech.

The Kerala government's Kudumbashree programme, launched in 1997,  is an initiative aimed at poverty eradication and women empowerment. Membership in Kudumbashree self-help groups is open to all adult women, with one member per family. It has around 47 lakh women members.

Also, read: Kerala's all-women self-help group to train Uganda women

“The government has taken the initiative to provide financial security to the people by implementing five guarantee schemes and keeping our promise. These schemes have relieved people suffering from rising financial inequality,” Siddaramaiah said.

Through our five guarantee schemes—Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti (free non-AC bus travel for women), Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, and Yuva Nidhi—each beneficiary family receives direct and indirect benefits amounting to an average of Rs 4,00- Rs 5,000 per month.

“This approach aligns with the concept of universal basic income, which provides direct financial assistance to poor families. Karnataka is the only state implementing such a program on a large scale, akin to those in developed countries” he said.

Contrary to reports stating that the government may reconsider the guarantee schemes, which are costing around Rs 55,000 crore a year, the CM said, “These programmes will continue, and the state’s economic growth will counter the predictions of those who claimed these schemes would lead to bankruptcy.”

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"The women have already made 270 crore free bus trips under the Shakti Scheme, saving around Rs. 6,541 crore. Under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, Rs 25,259 crore has been transferred directly to the accounts of 1.20 crore women. We had announced the provision of 5 kg of extra rice free of cost under the Anna Bhagya scheme. Due to the non-cooperation of the Central government, we are transferring an equivalent amount of money to the beneficiaries instead of additional rice. So far, Rs 7,763 crore has been transferred to 4.08 crore beneficiaries of 1.16 crore ration cards" he said.

He said as many as 1.6 crore families have availed themselves of the benefits of the Gruha Jyothi scheme, which provides free electricity for up to 200 units. "The government has spent Rs 8,844 crore on implementing this scheme. Additionally, 1.31 lakh graduate/diploma holder unemployed youths are receiving monthly financial assistance under the Yuva Nidhi scheme, with Rs 91 crore spent on the scheme so far. Skill development training is also being provided to the beneficiaries of Yuva Nidhi,” he said.

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The CM said welfare programmes of the government extend beyond the five guarantees. “Under various social security pension schemes, 78.64 lakh beneficiaries from vulnerable groups receive pensions through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The pension amount for transgenders under the Maithri scheme has been increased from Rs 800 to Rs 1,200, and the pension for former Devadasis has been raised from Rs. 1,500 to Rs 2,000. The government has spent Rs 13,027 crore on social security schemes such as old age pensions, widow pensions, Maithri, and Manaswini” he said.

“The government has also transferred an additional Rs 1,822.28 crore as incentive payments directly to the accounts of milk producers. We have also provided Rs. 1,642 crore in interest subsidies for loans from cooperative institutions, self-help groups, and other sources. Moreover, we have covered Rs 20,029 crore in expenses to provide free electricity for irrigation pump sets,” he adds.

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