PANJIM: Declaring the first of its key poll promises, Goa Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday
launched an unprecedented initiative, the ‘Griha Laxmi’ scheme. A move which offers guaranteed income support of Rs 5000 every month to a woman in every household in Goa.
Explaining how to register for the scheme, Lok Sabha MP and AITC Goa in-charge Mahua Moitra said, “The reason why we decided to put money in the hands of women was that extensive research has shown that when money goes directly to women, it gets back into the economy faster.”
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative’s design, Moitra provided facts and said, “The Griha Laxmi scheme would cost the government approximately Rs 1500 to 2000 crore, which is just 6 to 8 percent of the State budget, hence double.” She further illustrated how this initiative was a marked improvement from all existing schemes as it was universal and did not have any eligibility criteria.
It covers one woman (above 18 years of age) in every household across Goa. The scheme is universal, which means there is no eligibility criteria except for the need of a ration card per household. Goa TMC leaders along with its volunteers will go door to door to provide a smart card with a unique number to each family as a part of the registration process. The money will be transferred soon after the TMC forms the Government in Goa, the TMC announced.
TMC leader Yatish Naik said, “This scheme has an executable blueprint. It is a policy-level welfare intervention to help fight inflation. Griha Laxmi scheme is your right. It is not a favour to the people.”
Party leaders said TMC believes that this is an important step towards their aim of a ‘new dawn’ where the overall development and prosperity of every family will be driven by women with increased financial control. In a first for Goa, this scheme will benefit each and every household in the State, they said.
They further said that the announcement reaffirms TMC chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement during her visit to Goa where she categorically mentioned that, “We will empower women in Goa as we did in Bengal through our several social schemes.”
The ‘Griha Laxmi’ scheme was launched in the presence of Moitra and Goa TMC leaders Kiran Kandolkar, Naik, Dr. Jorson Fernandes, Ethel Lobo and Avita Bandodkar amongst others.