Rural women share how cash scheme changed their lives at meeting with Chief Minister

Rural women shared stories of how the monthly cash support from the Gruha Lakshmi scheme helped them pay for education, travel, and business growth during a recent meeting in Bengaluru.

Stories Of Impact

At the gathering held to mark three years of the scheme, women spoke to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar about how the funds changed their daily lives. A woman from Chikkamagaluru district used around ₹59,000 from the scheme to pay for her son's MBBS fees in Koppal, noting that free bus travel under the Shakti scheme also helped her visit him often. Another mother from Channarayapatna used the money alongside family savings to send her daughter to Malaysia for a dance performance. An older woman from Gadag district said the cash helped senior women buy medicines and live with dignity. Meanwhile, a group from Kudligi taluk pooled their funds for sheep rearing, growing a starting group of five sheep into a flock of 300 that now employs five men.

Official Response And Future Plans

Following the feedback, the Chief Minister confirmed there are no plans to stop the program and warned beneficiaries against using the funds for high-interest loans or chit funds. He noted that ₹86,000 crore has been spent on the initiative so far and promised a statewide convention in every district once spending reaches ₹1 lakh crore. Mr. Shivakumar also bought a toy cradle for his granddaughter from a handicrafts maker from Kalaburagi district who used the scheme money for her business, and shared that the idea for the welfare program was sparked by lines from a sad folk song sung by his cousin.

Context

Direct benefit transfer welfare schemes aim to give cash straight to citizens to support basic needs and financial independence. Programs like free public transport and monthly financial support are often designed to help low-income households manage rising living costs and invest in education or small businesses.