GUARANTEES PAY BACK IN DEVELOPMENT GAINS

OMEN could remain Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s biggest cheerleaders if a report on his government’s five guarantees is any indication.

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The government has spent around 296,000 crore on the subsidies since May 2023, which has begun paying happy dividends. Two schemes targeted at women—Gruha Lakshmi, a cash transfer of %2,000 to women family heads, and Shakti, providing free bus travel—have had the biggest impact, uplifting women’s economic condition and households’ well-being. Free mobility has boosted access to education, jobs and healthcare, and women’s participation in the workforce is up 23 percent. The survey of 6,300 women by an independent policy consultant along with Lokniti-CSDS, Bangalore University, Tumkur University, and Indus Action was carried out across 15 districts over a year.