Karnataka Government Takes Strong Action Against Misuse of Guarantee Schemes

Bengaluru, June 19: The Karnataka government held a review meeting on the implementation and progress of its guarantee schemes, chaired by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, at the Vidhana Soudha committee room on Friday.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Shivakumar emphasized that the government is taking strict action against the misuse of its key guarantee schemes. He stated that no eligible beneficiary should face any difficulties during this process. The aim is not only to prevent ineligible beneficiaries and fraudulent claims from receiving benefits but also to ensure that genuine beneficiaries receive assistance without any interruptions.

Shivakumar noted that several beneficiaries of the Gruha Lakshmi scheme had taken bank loans. In many instances, the financial assistance deposited under the scheme was automatically adjusted against outstanding loan amounts. As a result, several beneficiaries changed their bank accounts to directly receive benefits. He instructed officials to ensure that such beneficiaries do not face any inconvenience during the verification process.

The Chief Minister mentioned that stringent security measures have been implemented to prevent misuse during the execution of the Gruha Jyoti scheme. He suggested that similar precautions should be adopted in other guarantee schemes to significantly reduce cases of fraud.

Officials reported that there have been instances where benefits from the Gruha Lakshmi scheme were being deposited into the accounts of deceased beneficiaries. Shivakumar directed officials to take immediate action to prevent such misuse.

He also proposed that beneficiaries receive a voice message on their mobile phones confirming the receipt of funds immediately after the Gruha Lakshmi scheme amount is deposited into their accounts.

Officials pointed out that some Airtel Payment Bank accounts operated by Airtel SIM users are allegedly being misused through UPI-linked transactions. The Chief Minister instructed officials to investigate this matter and implement corrective measures.

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