Karnataka Launches Massive Biometric Drive to Clean Up Gruha Lakshmi Welfare Scheme

The Karnataka government has kicked off a massive re-verification exercise for its flagship Gruha Lakshmi scheme, aiming to filter out ineligible beneficiaries and ensure financial aid reaches only genuine recipients. This month-long, door-to-door drive, which started on August 30, utilizes advanced biometric and facial authentication technology to scrutinize the nearly 1.23 crore beneficiaries registered across the state. The urgent clean-up comes nearly three years after the scheme's launch, spurred by alarming reports of significant financial discrepancies, including over Rs 117 crore credited to the bank accounts of more than 1.10 lakh deceased beneficiaries, with only a fraction recovered so far. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme, a key electoral promise of the ruling Congress, provides Rs 2,000 monthly to the woman head of eligible households, making its integrity crucial for the state's welfare agenda and public trust. Officials from the Women and Child Development Department are spearheading this effort, supported by local guarantee committees, with verification points also established at various 'One' centers. While the government aims for transparency, the rigorous process, which includes checks for income tax and GST payers, could pose a burden on daily wage earners who might lose a day's earnings to complete the verification. The outcome of this verification drive will likely reshape the beneficiary list and impact future welfare scheme implementation in Karnataka.