SHIVAMOGGA: The Gruha Jyothi scheme, where 200 units of free power will be provided to households, will be rolled out in Kalaburgi on August 5, said Energy Minister KJ George at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday.
The beneficiaries will not have to pay for electricity consumed from July 1 under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, one of the five guarantees promised by Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls. George said that over 1.4 crore consumers have already applied for the benefit.
Acknowledging that a few beneficiaries were charged for their electricity usage in July, he said that those who have already paid would receive refunds. Any outstanding arrears will be duly adjusted, and there will be no charge for units used from July 1. The meter reading and calculation process for eligible consumers commenced on July 1, he clarified.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar and AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge will be present for the inauguration, he said. To extend the scheme’s coverage to a larger population, the government also announced that the billing cycle for FY2022-23 will be based on an average of the last 10 months’ consumption, with an additional 10% subsidy granted for those using up to 200 units. However, for consumers exceeding the 200-unit threshold, they will be required to pay their bills as usual.