Rural women tell stories of how the Gruha Lakshmi scheme helped them build their lives

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar admired a handmade beaded cradle donated by one of the beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme at his home office in Bengaluru on Friday. | Photo credit: ANI

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s interaction with beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme in Bengaluru on Friday turned out to be a forum to hear stories of how the monthly cash deposit under the scheme has helped poor women not only build a life but also achieve significant achievements like helping their wards in higher education.

At a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s home office to take feedback from the beneficiaries on the occasion of the completion of three years of implementation of the scheme, a woman from Chikkamagaluru district said, “My son is studying MBBS in Koppal. I have paid a fee of around ₹ 59,000 with Gruha Lakshmi money. Thanks to the Shakti scheme (for my son), traveling by bus has become convenient for my son.”

Another woman from Channarayapatna said she was able to send her daughter to Malaysia for a dance performance with the help of Gruha Lakshmi money along with family savings.

An old woman from Laxmeshwar taluk in Gadag district commented emotionally, “Gruha Lakshmi money has helped senior women buy medicine and lead a dignified life. A woman from Kudligi taluk explained how their self-help group collected money from the scheme to engage in sheep farming. Everyone was surprised when she said that the group that started with five sheep now has 300 sheep and employs five men who they take care of them.

All the beneficiaries ardently appealed to the Chief Minister not to stop the scheme. In a positive response to the program, the Chief Minister stated that there was no question of interrupting the program. He also issued strict instructions to beneficiaries not to use money from the scheme to make high-interest loans or indulge in mutual fund deals.

Pointing out that ₹86,000 crore has been spent on the Gruha Lakshmi scheme so far, the Chief Minister announced that when it reaches ₹1,00,000, a convention of Gruha Lakshmis will be held in all districts across the state.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister bought a toy cradle for his granddaughter from a beneficiary in Kalaburagi district who used the money from the scheme to manufacture and sell handicrafts.

Inspired by a folk song

Mr. Shivakumar revealed that lines from a sad folk song “Tayi satta mele tavarige endu hogabaradavva, nayiginta kadeyagi hoyite nana balu kelavva…” inspired him to plan the Gruha Lashmi scheme to help poor women.

“One night when my cousin was singing this folk song, the concept of Gruha Lakshmi scheme came to me. To empower women, Shakti and Gruha Lakshmi schemes were announced in the election manifesto,” he noted.

Published – November 6, 2026 10:07 PM IST