Mumbai, January 25, 2025: A recent State Bank of India (SBI) report highlights concerns over the financial strain caused by women-centric Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes across states. These initiatives, aimed at empowering women through direct monetary support, have led to a collective expenditure of over ₹1.5 lakh crore in eight states, consuming 3% to 11% of their revenue receipts. Major programs like Karnataka’s Gruha Lakshmi and West Bengal’s Lakshmir Bhandar constitute significant portions of state budgets.
While states like Odisha, with higher non-tax revenues, are better positioned to manage these expenditures, others face fiscal challenges. The report recommends exploring a universal income transfer system supported by federal grants as a more sustainable alternative to reduce financial pressure and market-disturbing subsidies.
