Published Nov 05, 2026 | 2:59 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 05, 2026 | 2:59 PM
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced the release of funds totalling ₹7,408.6 crore.
Synopsis: The Karnataka government has released ₹7,408.6 crore to clear three pending instalments of the Gruhalakshmi scheme for August, September and October, after admitting in the High Court that financial constraints had disrupted payments. The government has disbursed ₹86,838.36 crore to 1.24 crore women under the scheme up to October. The State maintained that the scheme was ‘benevolent’ in nature and that the beneficiaries cannot claim it as a matter of right.
The Karnataka government has released funds for three instalments of the Gruhalakshmi scheme, covering August, September and October, after admitting in the High Court that financial constraints had caused repeated interruptions in payments to beneficiaries.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced the release of funds totalling ₹7,408.6 crore. The payments cover the 34th instalment of ₹2,500 crore, the 35th instalment of ₹2,452.93 crore and the 36th instalment of ₹2,452.93 crore. All three instalments have been disbursed simultaneously.
The repeated interruptions have left women dependent on the monthly assistance uncertain about its continuity. Prabha, a cook in Bengaluru, initially used the money to offset the rising cost of living but grew worried as payments were repeatedly delayed.
“I was unsure if the scheme would continue or not. The scheme helps me account for the increase in prices of basic commodities,” she said.
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The government’s admission in the High Court came in an affidavit filed after the Karnataka High Court issued a notice in May this year on a Public Interest Litigation filed by two social workers.
The State maintained that the scheme was ‘benevolent’ in nature and that its implementation depended largely on administrative exigencies. “Therefore, the beneficiaries cannot claim it as a matter of right and seek enforcement of said scheme through judicial interference,” the government submitted.
Asked why delays in disbursing the assistance had become frequent, Dinesh Gooligowda, Vice-Chairman of the State Guarantee Schemes, told South First, “There may be pauses when there is delay in release of funds.”
He said the government could not assure beneficiaries of regular payments. “Even if the money is not released, we will make a combined payment like we have this time.”
The scheme had completed 33 instalments before the latest disbursal. With the three instalments now paid, 1.24 crore women across Karnataka will have received a total of ₹86,838.36 crore under the scheme up to October. Each beneficiary will have received ₹72,000, officials said.
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The delays in disbursal are not the only issue facing the scheme. In June this year, the Department of Women and Child Development found that families continued to receive payments even after beneficiaries had died.
Gooligowda confirmed that the government had disbursed ₹117 crore to 1,60,000 deceased women under the scheme. “To date, we have been able to recover 40 crores. We have written to the CEOs of zilla panchayats to recover the rest,” he said.
The government had also planned biometric verification of beneficiaries to prevent such payments. However, the exercise has not been implemented.
“We are waiting for the SIR exercise to be completed before we implement biometric verification of beneficiaries,” Gooligowda said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
