Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has announced that beneficiaries of government welfare schemes must ensure their names are included in the electoral rolls, warning that those not registered as voters may lose access to state benefits.
Speaking at a review meeting held at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar stated that schemes such as Gruha Jyothi, which provides up to 200 units of free electricity to households, will be available only to individuals whose names appear on the voter list. He urged citizens to verify their voter registration during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
“Only those whose names are included in the electoral rolls will be eligible for government welfare schemes. Beneficiaries must ensure their names are not omitted during the revision process,” Shivakumar said.
However, he emphasized that genuine beneficiaries should not face difficulties because of the verification exercise.
“Our objective is to stop misuse and eliminate ineligible beneficiaries. No deserving citizen should suffer due to this process,” he added.
Karnataka’s Key Welfare Schemes
The state government currently operates five major welfare programmes:
- Gruha Jyothi – Free electricity up to 200 units per household.
- Gruha Lakshmi – ₹2,000 monthly assistance for women heads of households.
- Anna Bhagya – 10 kg of rice per month for each member of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
- Yuva Nidhi – Monthly unemployment assistance of ₹3,000 for graduates and ₹1,500 for diploma holders aged 18–25 for up to two years.
- Shakti Scheme – Free travel for women in non-luxury state-run buses.
Concerns Over Misuse
During the meeting, officials highlighted cases where individuals who had moved outside Karnataka were still receiving benefits under the Gruha Jyothi scheme.
Shivakumar directed officials to take immediate action.
“Government schemes meant for Karnataka residents should benefit only eligible people of the state. We have found instances where voters from other states are receiving these benefits, and this must stop,” he said.
Authorities also reported irregularities involving UPI-linked accounts and bank accounts located outside Karnataka. The Chief Minister instructed officials to block such transactions and ensure benefits are distributed only to eligible recipients within the state.
Auditor General’s Findings
A report reviewed during the meeting revealed several discrepancies in the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. According to the findings, nearly ₹60 crore was disbursed through approximately three lakh installments routed through single bank accounts linked to multiple beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister also noted that some beneficiaries had changed their bank accounts after welfare payments were automatically adjusted against outstanding loan repayments.
“Many recipients have taken loans, and welfare funds deposited into their accounts are being adjusted towards repayments. Such beneficiaries should not face inconvenience, and their cases must be handled carefully,” he said.
Payments to Deceased Beneficiaries
Another major concern raised was the continuation of payments to deceased beneficiaries.
“It has come to our notice that benefits are still being transferred to individuals who have passed away. This should not happen,” Shivakumar stated.
He directed officials to maintain real-time beneficiary records and ensure prompt updates in government databases.
To improve transparency, he also instructed departments to introduce automated voice alerts informing beneficiaries whenever Gruha Lakshmi payments are credited to their accounts.
The Karnataka government has indicated that stricter verification measures will be implemented to ensure welfare schemes reach only eligible beneficiaries while preventing misuse of public funds.