About one lakh people, mostly women, will witness the mega launch of the Gruha Lakshmi, one of the five guarantees announced by the Congress government, in Mysuru on August 30. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are among a host of leaders who will attend the launch at the Maharaja College Grounds in Mysuru.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the venue and holding a meeting with officials in connection with the launch, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said 1.10 crore women have so far enrolled under the scheme. If the scheme’s main inaugural event takes place in Mysuru, the launch will also happen simultaneously across the State in about 10,400 venues, including 190 in Bengaluru city alone. The scheme will be launched simultaneously at 12 noon.
He said 200 buses will bring women from Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajnagar, and Kodagu for the launch in Mysuru city. The staff of the Department of Women and Child Development, GP’s, and other government agencies will oversee the arrangements of bringing women beneficiaries to Mysuru, Mr. Shivakumar added.
“The number of participants may go up but we have arranged 2,000 buses to ferry them to Mysuru. The beneficiaries coming to Mysuru have been identified and they would be brought here by the PDOs and others. Whoever is interested can attend the event,” he replied.
The Dy.CM said ‘Gruha Lakshmi Na Nayaki’ rangolis will adorn the households of beneficiaries on August 30 to express their support for the guarantee which is being implemented by the government.
The feedback from some women who have enrolled under the scheme and other activities that are going to happen on the day of the launch will be broadcast live at the venue in Mysuru, he said.
To a question, he said no food will be served to the participants who are coming from five districts and they have been asked to bring their own food packets since only drinking water was being provided at the venue here. “There would be confusion and melee if we serve food to all the participants. Therefore, it is up to the beneficiaries to bring their food.”
The Deputy Chief Minister said this is a government programme and the district administration had been asked to arrange 1 lakh chairs for the event. More than 500 mobile toilets will be deployed for the convenience of the participants.
While defending the mega launch despite rain deficit and the threat of drought, he said the scheme had received an overwhelming response with over 1.10 crore women registering under the scheme.
In response to a question, Mr. Shivakumar said the government has invited the opposition MLAs and elected representatives to attend the event since it is a government-sponsored programme.
Minister-in-charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister-in-charge of Mandya district N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar, former Minister Tanveer Sait, and party MLAs and officials were present.
