The state BJP unit on Wednesday alleged that the door-to-door verification exercise of Gruha Jyoti beneficiaries across the state was an attempt to reduce the number of families receiving the benefit to offset the rising welfare expenditure.
The exercise was launched a day after the first phase of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls in the state began. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar ordered a review to ensure that the support is limited to residents and eligible voters of the state.
The Gruha Jyothi programme, which was introduced in July 2023 as one of the five major guarantee schemes of the Congress government, provides up to 200 units of free electricity to domestic consumers in Karnataka.
People familiar with the matter said the government believes that at least a few beneficiaries of the free electricity guarantee scheme have been registered as voters in other states.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly R Ashoka on Wednesday questioned the documentary requirements for verification. Officials collect Aadhar cards, voter ID cards, PAN cards, passport size photographs, ration cards, rent or lease agreements where applicable, caste certificates, income tax status, occupation, mobile numbers and returns through the mobile application.
Ashoka wondered why beneficiaries were required to submit PAN cards and caste certificates.
“Congress has assured free electricity for all. If voter ID or Aadhaar card is sufficient for identification, why are PAN cards and caste certificates being sought now? Why is the government trying to determine eligibility on the basis of income and caste?” he said.
The government maintained that the re-verification became necessary due to complaints that commercial establishments were misusing the Gruha Jyothi scheme. Ashoka rejected the explanation, claiming that the verification reflects the government’s deteriorating financial position.
“The Congress government, which is struggling to fund its own guarantee schemes, has come up with a new plan to reduce the number of Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries. It is trying to deprive thousands of poor and middle-class families of their benefits under the guise of verification,” he said.
He also accused the Congress of abandoning the promise on which it had fought the 2023 Assembly elections, adding that the BJP would oppose any move to deny benefits to eligible families under the scheme.
The Prime Minister recently held a series of meetings with senior officials to discuss ways to contain spending on state guarantee programs while reducing other non-essential government spending.
The state government is expected to spend approx $34,000 crore on free electricity during FY26 and FY27, including $0.578 crore under Gruha Jyothi scheme. When presenting the budget earlier this year, then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the state assembly that the government had spent $1,21,598 crore on the five guarantee schemes till the end of February 2026.
