A study by King’s College London has found that Karnataka’s five flagship Guarantee schemes - Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi - have collectively improved women’s financial autonomy, access to basic services, and overall household well-being across the State.
The report, titled ‘From Guarantees to Rights: Assessing Karnataka’s Experiment with Basic Income and Basic Services’, is part of the Laws and Social Reproduction Project led by Prabha Kotiswaran and funded by the European Research Council. According to a release, over the past 18 months, the study surveyed 2,045 women from 10 districts and conducted focus group discussions with 300 participants to analyse the social and economic impact of the schemes.
The research revealed that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme offering ₹2,000 monthly to women heads of households had a transformative effect. Nearly all beneficiaries (99.8%) confirmed receiving the full amount, though 78% faced delays. According to the study, women reported higher control over finances, improved nutrition, increased savings, and greater confidence. Around 90% of recipients said the scheme enhanced their autonomy and reduced household stress, while 48% experienced fewer domestic conflicts.
