As many as 19,303 domestic electricity consumers in the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) service area have voluntarily opted out of the Gruha Jyothi free-power benefit during an ongoing verification of beneficiary records, according to information provided by MESCOM officials to Prajavani.
The figure represents about 2% of Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries in the MESCOM region. The electricity distribution company has 16.32 lakh domestic beneficiaries under the scheme, of whom records for 14.62 lakh homes had been verified by the time of the report.
The Gruha Jyothi scheme was introduced across Karnataka in July 2023 after the Congress-led government came to power. It provides free electricity for domestic use to eligible consumers under the state’s five guarantee programmes.
The statewide re-verification exercise began on July 1. MESCOM meter readers and selected linemen have been visiting homes, checking consumer records and collecting the required information through a mobile application and a declaration form. The state government had also invited consumers to voluntarily surrender the benefit if they preferred to pay their monthly electricity bills.
MESCOM officials said staff had already visited all homes covered by the verification exercise. Records for houses that were locked, unoccupied or owned by people living abroad were still pending. The department has been using the Gruha Jyothi re-survey application to send messages to the owners of locked homes and ask them to contact the nearest MESCOM office.
When staff find a locked house, they leave an information notice at the premises and send a message to the owner’s mobile phone. If the owner does not respond, another message is sent after two days. According to a meter reader quoted in the report, three unanswered messages may lead the department to treat the consumer as having opted out of the Gruha Jyothi benefit.
More than 7,000 people have reportedly contacted MESCOM offices and completed the required documentation after receiving mobile messages. Officials said the department would send staff to verify whether applicants actually resided at the concerned property before completing the record review, in line with government directions.
MESCOM sources said people living abroad formed a significant share of those who voluntarily surrendered the benefit. Many had originally submitted documents through the Seva Sindhu portal to receive the scheme. During the current verification, some were unable or unwilling to provide the required documents and chose to pay their electricity bills instead. Owners of unoccupied houses were also reported to have opted out because such properties receive only a minimum bill.
The re-verification period has been extended until the end of September. Consumers whose records have not yet been verified have been asked to contact MESCOM. The process will determine whether the remaining beneficiary records meet the documentation and occupancy requirements for continuing the Gruha Jyothi benefit.
