Gruha Lakshmi Scheme: Over 52,000 Women Removed in Karnataka for Being Taxpayers

More than 52,000 women beneficiaries have been excluded from the Gruha Lakshmi scheme across Karnataka after their names appeared in the databases of the Goods and Services Tax or Income Tax departments, according to state officials. 

Details of Beneficiary Exclusions 

Speaking during a discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address at the Legislative Council in Bengaluru, Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said that 52,000 women out of the total 1.26 crore beneficiaries were removed from the scheme.  

The exclusions were carried out after the beneficiaries were identified as GST or Income Tax payers. 

Eligibility Criteria Under the Scheme 

The minister clarified that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme is applicable only to women holding Below Poverty Line, Above Poverty Line, and Antyodaya ration cards.  

Women registered as GST or Income Tax payers are not eligible under the scheme, irrespective of whether tax payments are currently active. 

Read More: AMRUT Scheme: Government Allocates ₹8,000 Crore for Urban Renewal in Budget 2026! 

Concerns Raised by Legislators 

BJP Member of Legislative Council P H Poojar raised concerns that 712 women in Bagalkot district were removed from the scheme after being labelled as taxpayers.  

He stated that several women submitted documents proving they were not taxpayers, but their benefits were not restored. 

Clarification from Women and Child Welfare Department 

Hebbalkar said her department does not directly remove beneficiaries. If a woman’s name appears in the Income Tax or GST database, the application is automatically rejected, even if the individual is no longer paying taxes. She added that some women may have registered for GST earlier for business or other purposes. 

Reinstatement of Eligible Beneficiaries 

According to the minister, the department has written several times to the Income Tax and GST authorities pointing out database inconsistencies.  

Of the 52,000 women removed, nearly 20,000 have been reinstated after verification confirmed they were not taxpayers. 

Conclusion 

The Gruha Lakshmi scheme continues to allow enrolment for eligible women, while efforts are ongoing to address data mismatches related to taxpayer records. Authorities have stated that individual complaints will be reviewed on a case by case basis. 

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