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Karnataka faces a wave of corruption scandals, from a ₹7,500 crore smart meter scam to vanishing welfare funds and stalled development.
Karnataka is staggering under a barrage of scandals that paint a grim picture of mismanagement. A ₹7,500 crore smart meter debacle, vanishing welfare funds, and a state drained of resources—save for the much-touted Guarantee Schemes—tell a story of priorities gone awry. BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan has thrust the meter mess into the spotlight, but it’s just one piece of a larger collapse. The people of Karnataka aren’t just paying inflated bills—they’re footing the cost of a government that’s left the state broke and stagnant.
Start with the smart meter fiasco. Meant to modernize billing—like a prepaid phone top-up—these devices have instead become a cash cow for someone. A single-phase meter, ₹950 elsewhere, costs ₹4,998 here. A three-phase meter? From ₹2,500 to ₹28,000. Why? The state bypassed manufacturers for a middleman supplier, jacking up prices. The software contract went to a blacklisted firm with a dodgy history—hardly a mistake you make by accident.
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) limits mandatory smart meters to temporary connections, with new ones optional until old meters are phased out. Yet, Bescom is strong-arming them onto all new users. Energy Minister K.J. George mutters about a “review,” but the rollout steams ahead. Why the rush? Follow the money: with a ₹900 central subsidy per meter ignored, Asianet News calculates an extra ₹9,260 per unit. For 8 lakh meters, that’s ₹7,408 crore unaccounted for. Who’s pocketing it?
The meter mess is one symptom of a broader disease since June 2023:
1. Valmiki Corporation Loot: ₹94.73 crore for tribal welfare allegedly evaporated, with an official’s suicide note hinting at insider theft.
2. MUDA Land Scandal: A 50:50 land exchange deal handed 14 prime plots to questionable recipients, igniting calls for a CBI probe.
3. Honey Trap Drama: Claims of 48 politicians caught in a blackmail web triggered a high-level investigation—and rampant rumors.
4. Bengaluru’s Infrastructure Shame: Billions budgeted for roads and flyovers, yet potholes and gridlock reign, with funds reportedly siphoned off.
Beyond these scandals, there’s a bigger wound: development has ground to a halt. Barring the Guarantee Schemes—freebies waved like a shiny distraction—the state’s coffers are empty. No money for roads, no push for growth, just a skeletal administration clinging to populist promises. Meanwhile, ₹9,108 crore in security deposits from 2 crore consumers sits locked away, and smart meters are being forced through to dodge paying interest on it. The poorest pay the price: higher bills, no progress, and a government that’s bled the state dry.
George’s tepid vow to “look into” the blacklisted firm is a joke when the damage is already done. The BJP’s call to axe the smart meter deal and launch a House committee probe is the least Karnataka deserves. This isn’t one misstep—it’s a pattern of governance that’s unraveled at the seams.
Smart meters could have been a win: less theft, fair bills, no hefty deposits. Instead, they’re a glaring symbol of rot—bloated costs, broken rules, and billions missing. Add disappearing welfare funds, shady land deals, and a state starved of development, and the stakes are clear. Karnataka’s people aren’t here to bankroll failure—they’re here for dignity, progress, and accountability. It’s time to demand all three.
(The author Girish Linganna is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)
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