BENGALURU—Karnataka's Gruha Jyothi scheme continues to provide free electricity to eligible households across the southern Indian state, with the government conducting a statewide verification exercise aimed at ensuring that subsidies reach intended beneficiaries while maintaining the programme's eligibility standards.
The welfare scheme, introduced in 2023 by the Congress-led state government, offers eligible domestic consumers free electricity up to their sanctioned entitlement, subject to a maximum of 200 units a month. According to official scheme guidelines, the benefit is available through Karnataka's electricity distribution companies after registration on the state's Seva Sindhu portal.
State authorities began a door-to-door verification campaign in July to review beneficiary records and identify ineligible or duplicate claims. Electricity supply company personnel have been directed to visit registered households, verify documents and update consumer information through the official portal, according to government orders and statements cited by local media. Officials have said the exercise is intended to ensure that only eligible domestic consumers continue receiving subsidised electricity.
The verification drive has drawn criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which has questioned aspects of the data collection process and alleged that eligible households could lose benefits. The state government has said the review is an administrative measure designed to improve the accuracy of beneficiary records rather than discontinue the programme.
Under the scheme's framework, eligible households do not pay electricity charges if their monthly consumption remains within the approved entitlement, which is calculated according to government guidelines and capped at 200 units. Consumers exceeding their sanctioned limit are billed under applicable tariff rules. The state has also established customer support channels through its electricity distribution companies to assist beneficiaries with registration and eligibility queries.
The Gruha Jyothi programme is one of several flagship welfare initiatives introduced by the Karnataka government following the 2023 state elections. Government data cited in official and public records indicate that the scheme has covered millions of domestic electricity consumers, making it one of the state's largest household subsidy programmes.
Officials have said the ongoing verification will continue over the coming weeks, after which eligible beneficiaries will remain enrolled while records identified as ineligible or requiring correction will be reviewed in accordance with government procedures.
