As the Gruha Jyothi scheme of the Karnataka Government launched on August 1, 2023, completed 10 months as on May 31, 2024, as many as 15,90,694 beneficiaries were availing the benefits of the scheme in Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) jurisdiction.
A release from MESCOM in Mangaluru said, in all, 16,41,513 applications were received after the scheme was launched by the government on August 1 and till May 31. Of them, 15,90,694 eligible consumers were receiving the benefits of the scheme that was introduced as a part of one of the five guarantees of the government.
The scheme was successfully introduced in four revenue districts that were being served by MESCOM, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru, wherein beneficiaries were provided free electricity upto 200 units a month. MESCOM has received an average of ₹80 crore subsidy a month during the last 10 months from the government, it said.
Promising to provide 200 units of power every month to a consumer, the scheme fixes the eligible units for every consumer depending upon the past consumption. If the consumer utilises more units than the average units fixed, he or she would have to pay only for the excess units utilised. However, if the consumption exceeds the threshold 200 units, the consumer would have to pay for the entire quantum of consumption. For example, if the average consumption of a consumer was fixed at 120 units, the consumer need not pay anything if the monthly consumption was less than 120 units. If he or she consumes more, say about 130 units, he or she would have to pay for 10 units used in excess of the limit. However, if the consumer uses more than 200 units, say 210 units, he or she would have to pay for the entire 210 units of consumption.
Energy Minister K.J. George was quoted by the release as saying that the government has kept its promise of providing 200 units of free electricity under Gruha Jyothi, thereby lighting lamps in the houses of the poor. The scheme has multiple units with the savings on power being used for other constructive purposes, the Minister noted. Thus, the scheme was providing a host of social benefits.
Stating that the Gruha Jyothi scheme was successfully implemented in MESCOM jurisdiction, Managing Director D. Padmavathi said the subsidy was being released by the government on-time.
