Udupi: Minister for women and child development and district minister, Laxmi Hebbalkar, said that the govt led by chief minister Siddaramaiah is functioning with a strong social commitment and took significant steps towards women’s empowerment through the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.Speaking at the inauguration of the Kisan Sabha auditorium, organised by the Kisan Sabha Trust at Kukkundur in Karkala, on Wednesday, she said the scheme reached households across the state and brought meaningful improvement in the lives of women. “So far, 26 instalments were credited, providing Rs 52,000 each to 1.2 crore women beneficiaries,” she said.
She noted that although the Congress party did not win any seats in Udupi district, the district has one of the highest numbers of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries. She also appreciated the efforts of Uday Kumar for personally visiting households across the Karkala constituency to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reached all eligible women.Praising former chief minister M Veerappa Moily, she said his life and contributions serve as an inspiration. “He introduced the CET to help poor students access education, which became a model for the entire country. The CET later inspired the Centre to introduce the Right to Education (RTE) Act,” she said.She added that the Mahatma Gandhi Residential Schools started by Moily worked selflessly to provide free education to underprivileged children. “His life is a guiding force for all of us. Serving society continuously for more than five decades is not an easy task,” she said, lauding his contributions.Emphasising the importance of social service, Hebbalkar said it should not be limited to a single day, but must become a lifelong mission. “If we dedicate our time, energy and talent for the welfare of society, our state and nation will progress further. Today’s programme stands as an example of this spirit,” she said, expressing hope that the Kisan Sabha Trust would continue its service activities in the years to come.
