Karnataka to begin door-to-door verification of Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries from today
Bengaluru, July 1
The Karnataka Energy Department launched a door-to-door verification drive for beneficiaries of the state government's flagship Gruha Jyothi Yojana across all five Electricity Supply Companies
The verification exercise, which began on July 1, is aimed at updating beneficiary records under the scheme, launched in July 2023. During the drive, meter readers and ESCOM staff will visit consumers' residences to verify records and collect beneficiary information through a mobile application and a declaration form.
The Energy Department has requested beneficiaries to keep the required documents ready for verification, including their Aadhaar card (for verification only), passport-size photograph, voter ID card, PAN card, tenancy or rental agreement (where applicable), ration card and caste certificate.
The department said the verification can only be completed through an on-site visit by meter readers and urged all consumers and beneficiaries to cooperate with the visiting staff to ensure a smooth and timely completion of the exercise.
The verification drive is being carried out across the jurisdictions of BESCOM, MESCOM, HESCOM, GESCOM and CESC.
The Gruha Jyothi Yojana is a flagship Karnataka government scheme that provides up to 200 units of free electricity to residential households in the state. The program applies to both homeowners and tenants, aiming to reduce monthly living costs for middle- and lower-income families.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivkumar on Sunday dismissed rumours about the discontinuation of the Congress government's guarantee schemes, asserting that welfare programmes such as Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi will continue without interruption.
CM Shivakumar said the public should not be misled by what he described as false propaganda by opposition parties regarding the future of the schemes.
In a statement on X, "Guarantee is there, guarantee will be there! We will not stop guarantee schemes, no need to worry. The Congress government's people-centric guarantee schemes like Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi will not be suspended for any reason. The public should not pay heed to the false propaganda and rumours from opposition parties that these schemes are being stopped", he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate the scheme but this verification seems unnecessary. We already submitted all documents when we first applied. Now they want Aadhaar, voter ID, ration card... feels like we are being treated as potential fraudsters. Why not use the existing database instead of visiting every home?
My family is eligible but we haven't received any intimation about this verification. What about people who work during the day? Meter readers coming when we are not at home will cause problems. The government should at least send SMS or WhatsApp notifications before someone shows up.
This is smart governance - verifying beneficiaries ensures taxpayer money is not wasted. I've seen many cases where people claim benefits they are not entitled to. The Congress government should be commended for following through on their promises. Let's hope other states take note.
Why do they need caste certificate for electricity scheme? 🤔 Ration card and Aadhaar should be sufficient. This is just another way for the government to collect unnecessary data. And the timing - just when CM says schemes won't be stopped, they start this verification. Makes me suspicious.
Living in Bengaluru, I can say this scheme has been a huge relief for middle-class families like mine. With rising costs everywhere, saving even Rs 500-800 on electricity each month matters. CM Shivakumar's assurance gives confidence. Just hope the verification process is smooth and corruption-free.
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