Karnataka Oppn Demands SIT Probe into ₹225 Crore Alleged Loot in Gruha Lakshmi Scheme

The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, on Thursday demanded the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities in the state government's Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme. He claimed that payments amounting to ₹225 crore were made to accounts of deceased beneficiaries and that a group of officials and politicians were involved.

Addressing a press conference, Ashok alleged that the state government had maintained silence on the matter despite the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report highlighting the issue. He stated that under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, payments were made to 2.11 lakh beneficiaries who were actually dead, and details of another 77,000 recipients could not be traced.

Ashok further alleged that the government had stopped social security pensions to about 16 lakh beneficiaries due to a shortfall in revenue collection. He also accused the Congress government of tacitly releasing water from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir to Tamil Nadu, allegedly to please its alliance partner, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He claimed that the water level in KRS reservoir had depleted because of this, asserting that inflow was 689 cusecs against an outflow of 1,886 cusecs, indicating excessive release.

Ashok questioned why Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had not convened an all-party meeting to discuss the water-sharing issue. He also announced that the BJP would launch a second phase of protest against the Bidadi Township Project, stating that details would be finalised soon.

The demands come amid political rivalry in Karnataka, with the BJP accusing the Congress-led government of corruption and mismanagement. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme, a flagship programme of the state government, provides financial assistance to women heads of households. The government has not yet responded to the allegations.