Gruha Lakshmi gets major boost in Budget 2026–27

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the Karnataka Budget 2026–27 in the Legislative Assembly, marking his record 17th budget presentation. The Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said the budget focuses strongly on development and welfare schemes aimed at improving the lives of people across the state. A major highlight of the budget is the allocation of ₹28,608 crore for the government’s flagship Gruha Lakshmi Scheme, one of the key guarantee programmes of the Congress government.

The scheme provides financial assistance to women heads of households, and the Chief Minister stated that the government remains committed to strengthening the economic empowerment of lakhs of women across Karnataka. Siddaramaiah said that the government’s guarantee schemes have been playing a significant role in improving the financial stability of families. Along with welfare initiatives, the budget also places emphasis on infrastructure development across the state.

In the health sector, the government announced several initiatives, including the establishment of a breast and cervical cancer vaccination centre in Bengaluru. The Chief Minister also announced the upgradation of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESI) hospitals in Raichur, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Bidar, Koppal, Chitradurga, Mandya, Bhadravathi and KGF to enhance healthcare facilities for workers. Additionally, the government has proposed setting up a cold storage unit with a capacity of 12,000 metric tonnes in Vijayapura, aimed at strengthening agricultural infrastructure and improving storage facilities for farm produce.

Speaking about the state’s economy, Siddaramaiah noted that Karnataka continues to be among the leading contributors to India’s economic growth and plays an important role even at the international level. He also expressed the view that the Government of India should adopt a more sensitive approach towards the concerns of states.