10 Lakh Applicants left without benefits in Grilahakshmi scheme

Team Udayavani, Oct 12, 2023, 8:29 PM IST

Complaints have surfaced regarding the state government’s Grilahakshmi scheme, indicating that it has not reached all eligible households. A staggering number of around 10 lakhs of applicants have not been included in the government’s scheme due to technical reasons. Additionally, the government has excluded 3,082 individuals who applied for the scheme but have since passed away.

The state government had pledged to implement five guarantees during elections, with Grilahakshmi being one of them. However, the successful enforcement of Grilahakshmi is facing significant hurdles, leading to confusion within the project. The Department of Women and Child Welfare has struggled to ascertain the number of eligible beneficiaries accurately.

The Grilahakshmi scheme was officially launched by the state government in Myuru on August 8, with eligible beneficiaries receiving Rs 2,000 each in August. An amount of Rs 2,169 crore was disbursed to beneficiaries, but records indicate that only 93 lakhs have availed the scheme. This discrepancy has created challenges in ensuring that all eligible recipients receive their benefits regularly.

As per departmental information, 3,082 applicants were disqualified due to their demise, and demo verification for 1,59,356 applicants failed. Corrections are in progress for discrepancies in beneficiaries’ Aadhaar and bank account details. In addition, 5,96,268 beneficiaries’ accounts remain unlinked with Aadhaar, while 2,17,536 beneficiaries have successfully linked their accounts. The Department of Women and Child Welfare has instructed Child Development Project Officers (CDPO) to assist in linking Aadhaar for the remaining beneficiaries.

Furthermore, discrepancies exist in the names and addresses of 1,75,683 beneficiaries. The department is taking steps to conduct e-KYC for beneficiaries through banks. Women and Child Welfare Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar recently disclosed that Rs 2,280 crore was disbursed to 1.14 crore beneficiaries in September.

Rs 2,000 each has been deposited into the bank accounts of 93 lakh beneficiaries by October 4. This would reconcile the difference in numbers compared to previous months. The department is also exploring technical solutions to verify the details of approximately 5.5 lakh beneficiaries and facilitate payments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

According to Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar’s recent figures, 9,44,155 applicants have not received their funds. In light of these challenges, the public is urging swift resolution of the project’s implementation issues.