HC issues notice to govt on PIL seeking release of Gruha Lakshmi scheme arrears

Bengaluru: The high court issued notice to the govt in response to a PIL filed by two women complaining that arrears of the Rs 2,000 monthly allowance under Gruha Lakshmi scheme for the months of Feb and March 2025, involving an aggregate of Rs 5,000 crore for 1.2 crore beneficiaries, still remain unpaid.

A vacation division bench of Justices Suraj Govindaraj and K Manmadha Rao directed the respondents, including the department of women and child development, to file statements of objection by the next date of hearing.

The petitioners, R Ganga and GD Pavithra, claimed the authorities have admitted to non-disbursal of the instalments for these two months despite budgetary allocation and continuation of the scheme.

“The balance of convenience is in favour of the beneficiaries as more than 1.2 crore women belonging to economically weaker sections are dependent on this financial assistance for their basic livelihood and day-to-day sustenance. The arbitrary withholding of payments, without any notification or lawful justification, is violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and defeats the legitimate expectation and promissory assurances extended by the state,” the petitioners stated.

“Failure to maintain continuity of welfare benefits defeats the very object of the scheme and renders the implementation arbitrary, defeating the doctrine of good governance and accountability of the state. The inaction/negligence on the part of respondents, which resulted in the lapse of nearly Rs 5,000 crore of public funds due to administrative failure to carry forward the allocated amount to the subsequent financial year, constitutes gross financial irregularity warranting judicial scrutiny,” the petitioners contended while seeking HC intervention to ensure the arrears are released at the earliest.