The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) on Wednesday, 5 August alleged that the Karnataka government's flagship guarantee schemes and social security pension programmes have become effectively inaccessible to their intended beneficiaries, citing excessive documentation demands and what the party described as an outdated income eligibility ceiling of ₹32,000 per year. The allegations were made at a press conference in Bengaluru by SDPI Karnataka President Abdul Majeed.

The Core Allegations

Majeed argued that schemes designed to reach vulnerable populations with ease and dignity had instead become weighed down by procedural hurdles. 'Guarantee schemes have turned into schemes without any guarantee. The government is indirectly excluding the poor, senior citizens, widows, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable sections from welfare programmes through unnecessary documentation and unscientific income limits,' he alleged.

He added that the Congress government's guarantee schemes had initially generated considerable public hope, but that administrative shortcomings and additional restrictions in implementation were now causing hardship to the very people the programmes were meant to serve.

Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi Concerns

Criticising the Gruha Jyothi scheme — which provides subsidised electricity — Majeed alleged that directing already-identified beneficiaries to submit fresh applications and documents amounted to unnecessary harassment. 'Beneficiaries who have already been identified as eligible in government records are once again being forced to submit documents. This anti-people move raises doubts that the government's hidden intention is to reduce the number of beneficiaries,' he said.

On the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, which provides monthly financial assistance to women, Majeed claimed payments were not being credited regularly. He alleged that instead of monthly disbursals, the government was releasing arrears in bulk after several months, creating confusion among recipients about which month a given payment corresponded to. 'This reflects administrative failure,' he said.

Shakti Scheme and Bus Fleet Shortfall

Turning to the Shakti scheme, which entitles women to free bus travel across Karnataka, Majeed alleged that the state government had failed to expand the bus fleet in proportion to rising demand. 'While the government continues to publicise free travel for women, it has not increased the bus fleet. As a result, women are forced to travel in overcrowded buses every day, compromising their safety and convenience,' he said.

The ₹32,000 Pension Cap: A State-by-State Comparison

The sharpest criticism was reserved for the annual family income ceiling of ₹32,000 that determines eligibility for social security pension schemes covering senior citizens, widows, persons with disabilities, and destitute individuals. Majeed termed the limit 'unscientific, inhuman and irrational' given present-day economic conditions.

He drew a pointed contrast with other states: Kerala allows an annual family income of up to ₹1 lakh for social security pensions, while Telangana follows limits of ₹2 lakh for rural areas and ₹3 lakh for urban areas. Majeed also noted that the Karnataka government is reportedly considering raising the annual income limit for Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards to ₹3 lakh, while the pension eligibility ceiling remains unchanged at ₹32,000 — a discrepancy he described as unjust.

SDPI's Demands

The party issued a set of demands to the Karnataka government: immediately abolish the ₹32,000 annual income ceiling for social security pensions and align eligibility with current cost-of-living standards; continue welfare benefits for BPL cardholders without additional documentation; withdraw the re-registration requirement under Gruha Jyothi; ensure timely monthly disbursal under Gruha Lakshmi; deploy additional buses under the Shakti scheme; and guarantee uninterrupted pension distribution to all eligible vulnerable groups.

'The government should not merely claim to be pro-poor in its speeches. Welfare schemes must be implemented in a simple, transparent and people-friendly manner. SDPI will strongly oppose any attempt to deprive poor people of their rightful benefits by forcing them to run from one government office to another in the name of documentation,' Majeed warned.

Also present at the press conference were SDPI State General Secretary Afsar Kodlipete, State Secretary Riyaz Kadambu, Bengaluru North District President Javed Azam, and Bengaluru South District President Saleem Ahmed. The Karnataka government had not issued a formal response to the allegations at the time of reporting.