Karnataka govt to deposit ₹2,000 monthly to Goddess Chamundeshwari under 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme

Congress government in Karnataka will deposit ₹2,000 every month to Goddess Chamundeshwari in Mysuru under the “Gruha Lakshmi” scheme.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the southern state of Karnataka has decided to deposit ₹2,000 every month to Goddess Chamundeshwari in Mysuru under the “Gruha Lakshmi” scheme.

Goddess Chamundeshwari will henceforth be among the beneficiaries of the Karnataka government's 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme. (ANI/Representational image)

The scheme, which was part of the grand old party's five main election guarantees, pledges to provide ₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family.

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The proposal to pay out the monthly assistance to the deity was put forth by Congress MLC and party's state media cell vice-president Dinesh Gooligowda, who on Friday wrote to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar about the issue.

Gooligowda later spoke to the media and said the DCM agreed to the proposal and directed Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar to deposit the amount directly to the account of the Chamundeshwari temple every month, according to news agency PTI.

"The Deputy Chief Minister immediately responded to my letter requested and instructed Laxmi Hebbalkar to deposit ₹2,000 to Devi every month from her department or personally," A press release by Gooligowda read, as accessed by the agency.

The other four main poll promises of the Congress government include 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), 10 kg of free rice to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), ₹3,000 month assistance for unemployed graduate youth and ₹1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), and lastly, free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti scheme).

(With inputs from PTI)