Gruha Jyothi scheme: Over 51 lakh consumers register for Karnataka government’s free electricity scheme

He added that applications are being accepted physically too and that the state government is committed to implement the scheme at any cost. “The central government is hacking our system, we are repairing it… we will implement the scheme at any cost, the chief minister has already said it is our responsibility, we will do it,” he said.

“Such things happen, there will be some trial and error, nothing big about it, we are also taking (applications) physically. There may be a month’s delay, not more than that,” Jarkiholi said in response to a question on 20 June, in Belagavi.

Also Read: Jarkiholi blames Centre for glitches in Gruha Jyothi registrations

Registration for Gruha Jyothi scheme

Consumers can now register for free at any electricity board office, Nadakacheri (government website), or from their own computer/laptop/desktop/mobile phone by visiting the Karnataka Seva Sindhu Portal — https://sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in.

The Energy Department has requested the consumers not to fall prey to other fake or illegal websites regarding the scheme.

Also, for registration at Bengaluru One, Karnataka One, Grama One, and Grama Panchayats, one has to pay a specified service charge, it stated in the press release, It added that if any official demands extra money, then consumers may intimate the 24×7 helpline — 1912.

To ensure ease of registration, the E-Governance Department has provided a separate registration link for 2,000 electricity board offices in the state and this initiative has garnered an overwhelming response from the public, the release stated.

Also Read: Conditions mount for Congress’ ‘unconditional’ guarantees

Congress’s guarantees & their clauses

The Congress rode to victory in the Karnataka Assembly election on the back of five poll guarantees made to the people of the state.

These are:

• Gruha Jyothi – 200 units of free power to all households
• Gruha Lakshmi – ₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family
• Anna Bhagya – 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household
• Yuva Nidhi – ₹3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and ₹1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years
• Shakti – Free travel for women in public transport buses

Except for the Anna Bhagya scheme, all other four pre-poll promises come with several riders and conditions, which have left many aspiring beneficiaries fuming.

Also Read: Electricity bill collectors get Congress’ poll-guarantee shock

Under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, the Congress promised 200 units of free electricity to every household in the state. Now, the scheme will not apply to households that consume more than 200 units in a month on average. Households that consume more than 200 units of electricity will have to pay the whole bill.

There are also conditions for exceeding the average annual consumption. But the biggest criticism has come over the government’s insistence on registration on the Seva Sindhu portal and linking of Aadhaar cards with the customer ID number in the electricity bill.

While the free electricity scheme will extend to those living in rented houses, the waiting period, according to Power Minister KJ George, to avail of the scheme in a newly-shifted house will be one year.