Where's the money? Karnataka's flagship schemes face setbacks

The Congress government in Karnataka is facing flak over delays in its flagship welfare schemes, Gruha Lakshmi and Anna Bhagya. Gruha Lakshmi provides ₹2,000 per month to eligible women, while Anna Bhagya promised an additional 5kg of rice per person. Due to procurement issues, the government instead decided to offer ₹170 per person in place of rice. However, payments under both schemes have been delayed for three to four months, drawing criticism.

In last year's budget, the government allocated ₹53,674 crore for its five key welfare guarantees, with ₹28,608 crore dedicated to Gruha Lakshmi. The BJP has raised questions over the delay, accusing the Congress of financial mismanagement. "If the allocation was made, where did the money go? The people deserve timely payments. The state government must release a whitepaper on its finances," senior BJP leader CT Ravi said.

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar admitted to delays but assured that the government was working on it. However, CM Siddaramaiah dismissed criticism, stating the state's economy was strong enough to support welfare schemes while initiating new projects.