A state-wide study has found that Karnataka’s flagship welfare programmes, the ‘five guarantees,’ have significantly improved women’s lives, household well-being, and access to basic services, while also flagging gaps in delivery and communication.
The schemes — Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyoti, Yuva Nidhi, and Shakti — were launched to provide food security, basic income, electricity, unemployment support, and free bus travel. While Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti directly target women, Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyoti support households, and Yuva Nidhi is aimed at youth. Taken together, the guarantees were designed not just as welfare but as instruments to reduce gender inequality and strengthen women’s social and economic position.
How the study was conducted
The study was conducted by political rights activist Tara Krishnaswamy, Independent Policy Consultant, in collaboration with Lokniti–Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and Indus Action Initiatives. It is an independent study highlighting findings across schemes, districts, and SDGs
Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 women across 15 districts, and carried out in-depth interviews in five districts with women beneficiaries and local stakeholders such as Anganwadi workers, bus conductors, and officials. The team assessed the schemes’ effectiveness against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1–5), as well as their impact on autonomy, health, education, and financial security.
Gains for women and households
The findings suggest substantial improvements:
Financial independence and poverty relief: 89% of women reported personal financial upliftment, while 84% said family financial stress had eased. Savings went into repaying loans, better diets, healthcare, and children’s education.
Food and nutrition: 91% of respondents used the benefits to supplement diets, with 95% reporting more meals and better nutrition.
Health: 85% used funds for healthcare, 77% were able to clear medical loans.
Education and skills: Beneficiaries noted greater access to education and skill-building, though uptake of Yuva Nidhi was limited.
Empowerment: More than 80% of women saw improvements in nutrition, healthcare, and financial independence. Two-thirds travelled independently for work or leisure, and 93% said their influence in household decision-making had grown.
Gruha Lakshmi’s predictable cash transfers were cited as particularly impactful, boosting autonomy and household well-being. Shakti improved mobility, opening up access to jobs, education, and healthcare. Nearly one in five women reported securing better or new jobs thanks to the free bus scheme.
Gruha Jyoti eased electricity burdens for 92% of respondents, while Anna Bhagya strengthened food security, though gaps in nutrition remain. Yuva Nidhi offered stability to some youth but its limited reach blunted wider employment benefits.
Variations and challenges
The report highlights uneven results across districts. Tumkuru and Mandya showed the strongest gains across nutrition, health, and financial security. But in Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, and Kalaburgi, penetration of schemes was lower and food security weaker. Belagavi and Bagalkote recorded high financial distress and lower nutrition spending.
Operational hurdles also surfaced. Beneficiaries reported delayed payments under Gruha Lakshmi, low awareness of grievance redressal mechanisms, and confusing electricity bills under Gruha Jyoti. Communication gaps have allowed the guarantees to be dismissed as “freebies” rather than recognised as social security measures advancing women’s dignity and empowerment.
Meanwhile, the report says local stakeholders confirmed the schemes’ positive effects on women’s daily lives. Anganwadi workers and bus conductors noted increased participation of women in public life, higher autonomy in household decision-making, and better management of daily expenses.
Recommendations
The study urges the government to strengthen delivery and perception of the schemes. Suggested measures include simplifying electricity billing formats, ensuring predictable and timely payments, expanding public transport capacity under Shakti, improving accessibility through local, human-led channels, scaling up financial and digital literacy, and rebranding the guarantees to highlight empowerment and cost-conscious governance.
The evidence presented in the report points to the power of gender-focused social policy when designed with care and backed by resources.