BESCOM has set October 31 as the final deadline for 16 lakh consumers to submit documents for Gruha Jyothi scheme verification. Officials will report non-compliant consumers to the Karnataka government, which will decide their eligibility for the free electricity benefit.
BESCOM has set October 31 as the final deadline for consumers to submit documents for verification under Karnataka’s Gruha Jyothi free electricity scheme. Around 16 lakh consumers within BESCOM’s jurisdiction have yet to provide the required documents despite repeated visits by officials and SMS reminders. BESCOM Managing Director N Shivashankar said the utility would submit a report to the state government on consumers who fail to complete the verification process by the deadline. The government will take the final decision on their eligibility for the scheme.
BESCOM Gives Final Chance to Submit Documents
BESCOM staff have been conducting door-to-door verification for the past four months. Of the 69 lakh consumers under BESCOM’s jurisdiction, around 16 lakh have not submitted their documents. The pending cases include locked houses, vacant properties and consumers who have declined to cooperate with the verification teams.
Officials have reportedly visited these premises three times and sent SMS alerts to the registered mobile numbers. However, the required documents remain outstanding. BESCOM has now asked the affected consumers to visit their respective sub-division offices and submit the necessary documents by October 31. Officials have made it clear that the deadline will not be extended.
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24 Lakh Consumers Across Karnataka Yet to Submit Documents
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Shivashankar said Karnataka has 1.69 crore registered beneficiaries under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, of whom 69 lakh fall under BESCOM’s jurisdiction. While around 16 lakh consumers in the BESCOM region have not submitted their documents, the figure stands at approximately 24 lakh across the state.
The verification drive has faced several challenges. Some houses were locked during official visits, while some tenants had vacated their premises and moved elsewhere. Officials have also encountered consumers who are reluctant to share their details, including residents of some apartment complexes.
Consumers Hesitate to Sign Rejection Forms
Shivashankar said some consumers had told officials that they did not want to submit their documents and were not interested in receiving the Gruha Jyothi benefit. However, when asked to sign a form formally declining the benefit, some reportedly hesitated to do so. This has made it difficult for the department to establish whether these consumers intend to continue receiving the subsidy.
1.10 Lakh Consumers Opt Out of Gruha Jyothi
During the verification drive, around 1.10 lakh consumers within BESCOM’s jurisdiction reportedly stated that they did not want to receive free electricity under the Gruha Jyothi scheme. The department will discontinue the benefit for consumers who have formally opted out.
Shivashankar said the state government would decide how to deal with consumers who neither submit the required documents nor complete the verification process. Those who have yet to respond have been urged to visit their respective BESCOM sub-division offices before October 31 to clarify their eligibility for the scheme.
