Bangalore: The popularity of the Anna Bhagya (Rs 1 per kilo of rice for BPL card holders and the Shaadi Bhagya scheme (Rs 50,000 financial assistance for brides from minority communities), has prompted the state government to suffix ‘Bhagya’ to all its populist welfare schemes. Two other schemes introduced under the state budget have been renamed Bhagya.
Although the Supreme Court’s recent ruling says gay sex is a criminal activity, the state government’s new project, Maithri, under its Mahila Bhagya scheme, which offers sexual minorities a monthly pension of?Rs 500.
Mahila Bhagya reaches out to sexual minorities, unmarried women, separated couples and divorcee women, between the ages of 40 and 64, who will be entitled to a monthly pension of Rs 500. Officials from the women and child welfare department say the scheme was proposed by the BJP government and later mentioned in CM Siddaramaiah’s budget.
Two separate projects have been launched under this scheme, the first being Maithri. This project focuses on sexual minorities, who are eligible for this Rs 500 pension. The other project, Manaswini, supports separated, unmarried, dejected and divorcee women. Those who are above 65 years of age will be entitled to benefits under the Union government’s Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme.
Both projects are nearly ready, said an official. “The notifications were issued in August. The projects have been clubbed together under the Mahila Bhagya scheme. There have been several complaints about the scheme, including the income limit of Rs 12,000 per year to avail benefits,” he said.
The name ‘Bhagya’ has also drawn criticism from different quarters. “The projects are meant to empower women, but women themselves find the word Mahila Bhagya derogatory,” the officer added.
