'Not Aimed At Cutting Beneficiaries': Shivakumar Defends Gruha Lakshmi Verification In Karnataka
'Not Aimed At Cutting Beneficiaries': Shivakumar Defends Gruha Lakshmi Verification In Karnataka Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 09:45 IST DK Shivakumar said beneficiary
'Not Aimed At Cutting Beneficiaries': Shivakumar Defends Gruha Lakshmi Verification In Karnataka Published By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 09:45 IST DK Shivakumar said beneficiary verification under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme was launched to weed out irregularities, including payments allegedly made to deceased recipients. A file photo of Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has said the ongoing verification of beneficiaries under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme is intended to ensure that financial assistance reaches only eligible women and is not an exercise to reduce the number of beneficiaries. Clarifying the government’s position amid concerns over the review process, Shivakumar said certain irregularities had come to light during the implementation of the flagship welfare scheme, prompting the verification drive. “The government is not trying to reduce the number of beneficiaries. The verification is being carried out to ensure that benefits reach only eligible recipients," he said. According to the Chief Minister, authorities found instances where payments under the scheme were being credited to the bank accounts of deceased beneficiaries.
He said the review exercise was aimed at identifying such cases and rectifying discrepancies in the system. Shivakumar said the verification process would help the government ensure that welfare funds are utilised for their intended purpose and that deserving beneficiaries continue to receive assistance without interruption. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme is one of the Congress government’s flagship guarantee programmes and provides a monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to women heads of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. The Chief Minister’s remarks come against the backdrop of political controversy over the scheme’s implementation and disbursement of funds. In May, BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar had urged former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to explain the fate of Rs 5,000 crore that, according to the opposition leader, was meant for beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme but had allegedly not reached eligible families. In a letter addressed to Siddaramaiah, Suresh Kumar said the issue had first been raised in the Karnataka Assembly by BJP legislator Mahesh Tenginakai during the winter session held at Belagavi’s Suvarna Soudha on December 9, 2025.
He noted that despite several months having passed, the matter had not been satisfactorily addressed. The BJP MLA alleged that payments under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme for February and March 2025 had not reached beneficiaries across the state. According to him, the total amount involved was around Rs 5,000 crore. Suresh Kumar further claimed that while a minister in the then Siddaramaiah government had initially stated that the payments had been made, Tenginakai later produced documentary evidence in the Assembly challenging that assertion and sought an explanation from the government. Questioning the whereabouts of the funds, the BJP leader had said that citizens were still unaware of what had happened to the large sum allegedly earmarked for beneficiaries. He argued that the issue could not be treated as a minor administrative lapse given the scale of public money involved. The alleged non-payment of Gruha Lakshmi benefits for February and March 2025 had also triggered protests in the Karnataka Assembly. The opposition BJP and its ally staged a walkout during the Belagavi session on December 17, accusing the government of failing to disburse payments to eligible beneficiaries.
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