Gruha Jyothi Verification Faces Delays as Server Issues Slow Free Electricity Survey
Server problems and a shortage of meter readers have slowed Gruha Jyothi household verification across Karnataka raising doubts about completing the process before the August deadline for beneficiaries.
The verification drive under Karnataka’s Gruha Jyothi Scheme has hit major hurdles as technical glitches and staff shortages continue to delay progress across the state. With only a fraction of eligible households verified so far, officials are uncertain whether the exercise can be completed before the August 31 deadline.
The state government launched the verification campaign on July 1 to confirm the eligibility of nearly 16.5 crore beneficiaries under the free electricity scheme. However, despite weeks of work, only around 45 lakh households have been verified, leaving a significant number still pending.
One of the biggest challenges has been the limited availability of meter readers. Across Karnataka, only 21602 meter readers are handling the massive verification drive. In the Bescom service area alone, there are around 65 lakh beneficiaries, but only 7409 meter readers are available for inspections. Officials have completed verification for nearly 25 lakh homes in the region, while about 40 lakh households are yet to be covered.
Technical issues have added to the delays. Verification data is uploaded through the Seva Sindhu portal, which also supports several major government services including Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti Scheme, ration card services and Greater Bengaluru Authority property related applications. The heavy load on the portal has reportedly caused the system to slow down frequently, with users also experiencing repeated server crashes during data uploads.
The combination of technical disruptions and workforce shortages has significantly reduced the speed of the verification process. Officials involved in the exercise believe meeting the August 31 deadline will be difficult unless the system performance improves and additional manpower is deployed.
Meanwhile, more than 20000 beneficiaries have voluntarily opted out of the Gruha Jyothi Scheme. These consumers declined to provide their personal details during verification and signed the required Part B form to surrender the free electricity benefit on their own.
The Gruha Jyothi Scheme remains one of Karnataka’s flagship welfare initiatives, offering eligible households free electricity within prescribed consumption limits. Authorities are continuing the verification process to ensure that only genuine beneficiaries receive the subsidy while eliminating ineligible claims. However, with the deadline approaching rapidly, the state may need additional resources and technical improvements to complete the exercise on time.
