Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar addresses a high-level review meeting with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and senior police officers, at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru, on Thursday (June 4). Photo: X/@DKShivakumar
Gruha Jyothi: No free electricity for tenants? What CM DK Shivakumar said
Citing discrepancies in mobile numbers and details of beneficiaries, the new CM says there has to be an overhaul
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday (June 4) hinted at ending the Gruha Jyothi scheme's benefits to tenants and those belonging to other states, though no official decision has been taken.
As per the ruling Congress government’s one of the guarantee schemes, 200 units of electricity are provided free to the households in Karnataka. Now, under the new Chief Minister Shivakumar, the government is rethinking who should be the beneficiaries.
What CM said
“We are not revising them. There are discrepancies in the mobile numbers and details of beneficiaries. In the Gruha Jyothi scheme, 200 units of electricity are provided free per household, but some households use it for commercial purposes. This scheme has 1.60 crore beneficiaries,” Shivakumar said, as per a PTI report.
Also read: Karnataka to set up dedicated secretariat for public grievances, says CM Shivakumar
“If those who are eligible receive free electricity, that is not our concern,” he added.
Further, he said, “Shouldn’t we have information about all the beneficiaries? Some individuals have five meters under one name, and the government should have information on whether they are owners or tenants, and whether they belong to our state or another state, right? We are collecting that information.”
He said the government was not revising its guarantee schemes, but was only collecting information on beneficiaries, amid reports of alleged misuse worth crores of rupees.
Discrepancy of Rs 120 crore
Payments under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme were made in the names of deceased individuals and others who are ineligible, resulting in a discrepancy of Rs 120 crore, the CM said.
“Shouldn’t there be accurate information about this? So, we are gathering information,” he reiterated.
In 2026-27, the government has allocated Rs 51,286 crore for the five schemes.
The Congress government’s five guarantee schemes are 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyothi), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and an additional 5 kg of rice per member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).
They also include Rs 3,000 per month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for two years (Yuva Nidhi), and free bus travel for women in public transport (Shakti).