BENGALURU: Tenants who have registered for the Gruha Jyothi scheme and are shifting to a new address can look forward to resuming the scheme at their new residence conveniently. The state government on Wednesday issued orders directing the electricity supply corporations (Escoms) to start the process of providing an opportunity to consumers to de-link their accounts from the Gruha Jyothi scheme, for change of address and re-link on shifting.
The orders, signed on February 5, were issued on the request of the energy department, citing the cases of people who stay as tenants. “There are many who stay as tenants in Bengaluru or in other districts and cities, across the state. To avail the scheme, one has to register with his/her Aadhaar card details and RR number.
When the scheme was launched, a tenant would have registered along with the property owner or even individually with the Aadhaar card details.
Aadhaar-Scheme delinking will take some time, says Bescom MD
But over a period of time, they have shifted to a different location and are unable to re-register because their Aadhaar details are already uploaded and the portal does not accept duplication.
“Now to give them an opportunity, this de-linking provision has been announced,” explained Bangalore Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (Bescom) Managing Director, Mahantesh Bilagi.
The option of de-linking will be available on the Seva Sindhu portal, where citizens upload their details to avail the Gruha Jyothi scheme.
“The request had come from citizens and a go-ahead was given on the proposal submitted by Bescom. It will be implemented for the people,” said additional chief secretary, energy department, Gaurav Gupta.
While sources in the energy department told The New Indian Express that the de-linking services will be available for people to exercise on the portal from Monday, officials in Bescom said it will take some time. “As per the government orders, we held a meeting with the e-governance department. The software is getting prepared and will be open for people in the coming week. A government order will be issued. The IT teams are working on this,” Bilagi said.
Officials in the energy department said this service of de-linking details is not available in any other state where a free electricity scheme is underway without application — Punjab, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, it is a service where one has to apply for. This de-linking option can also be availed by those who do not want to avail the zero-electricity bill scheme.
Under the Gruha Jyothi Scheme, it has been allowed a maximum consumption limit of 10% over the units of monthly average consumption (based on consumption of the financial year 2022-23) of each consumer up to a maximum consumption limit of 200 units per month for each household in the state, and provide electricity bill amount.