2 weeks Ago By Niranjan Kaggere
Image used for representational purpose only BENGALURU: After a year since the successful rollout of the ambitious ‘ Gruha Jyothi ’ scheme, thousands of consumers across Karnataka are in a fix as they have been deprived of free power of up to 200 units as promised by the state govt in 2023. Several consumers, who had moved into newly built houses during the rollout of the scheme in August 2023 or those who were ineligible for the scheme initially, have been deprived of the state govt’s guarantee as the Energy department is yet to enhance the eligible units or reassess their usage clocked by these categories of consumers across the state. Rolling out the guarantee last year, the Energy department had assessed the eligibility of beneficiaries for the Gruha Jyothi scheme based on their yearly consumption pattern .
However, in the case of newly constructed houses or those units that were not occupied for almost a year, the state govt was in a fix. Resolving the confusion, the govt decided to fix 53 units as the actual free unit for the newly constructed houses based on the average monthly household consumption in Karnataka. Further, it had also announced 10 per cent additional units and provided a total of 58 to 59 units of free power to such categories of consumers.
Further, the state govt had assured this category of consumers that after a year, their limit of 58 to 59 units would be enhanced up to 200 units like every other Gruha Jyothi beneficiary based on the one-year consumption pattern. However, despite the completion of one year, the Energy department has not enhanced the eligible units for consumers who had moved into newly built houses. Similarly, the consumers who were initially ineligible for the scheme due to exceeded consumption of over 200 units have also reduced their usage over the last year with a desire to get covered under the Gruha Jyothi scheme.
However, the Electrical Supply Companies (Escoms) are yet to reassess their usage to ascertain whether they will be eligible for the scheme. Manasa M, a software developer with an MNC, said, “Last year we moved into a newly built house and had no previous record of consumption. We were allotted 58 units of free power all these months stating that we have no record of previous consumption.
Now that we have completed one year, they must reassess our consumption and enhance the free units up to 200 units.” Mathew Varghese, a content developer, said, “In 2023 I bought a flat in an apartment building which was built in 2018. For five years, the builder had only used a minimum of 5 to 10 units per month.
Based on this data, we have been given only 25-30 free units per month. But over the past year, we have regular consumption data, and the govt must reassess our consumption and extend the benefits of Gruha Jyothi to us as well.” Sources in the Energy department revealed to TOI that there are several households across Karnataka under the five Escoms limits which were provided with 58-59 units in the absnece of one year consumption record.
Similarly, the state is yet to decide on the eligibility criteria for those who have installed roof-top solar system to be covered under the Gruha Jyothi scheme. When TOI approached senior officials of the Energy department, the officials pointed out at the state govt stating that the Gruha Jyothi scheme is a policy decision. However, Energy Minister KJ George acknowledged the problem and assured that soon the govt will resolve the confusion.
“I agree that consumers who had moved into new houses were only given 58 to 59 units for the last year and it is time that we reassess their consumption and enhance their free power eligibility up to 200 units. This subject will be placed before the state cabinet for discussion and after holding consultation with the Chief Minister, we will decide on enhancing the free power eligibility up to 200 units,” Minister George told TOI..
