‘Applies for tenants too, not for commercial buildings’: Karnataka CM on contours of free electricity scheme

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday tweeted that tenants in the state can also avail of the ‘Gruha Jyoti’ scheme, but power consumption should be under 200 units. The free power scheme, which is one of the five poll guarantees that the Congress party had proposed in its election manifesto, will be provided to all domestic consumers in the state from July 1.

CM Siddaramaiah tweeted the clarification a day after the Cabinet issued fresh guidelines on how to avail the free electricity under the scheme. 

The Monday guidelines were issued by the Karnataka Energy Department. As per the guidelines, the free power supply will be dependent on the monthly average consumption of a household. 
The electricity supply companies will calculate the average based on the power consumed by the households in 2022-23.  

“We will provide free power (up to 200 units) to those living in rented accommodation as well. Poor people who consume less than 200 units of power will not have to pay the bills. This (scheme) will be applicable to the tenants,” CM Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.

However, it should be noted that the scheme applies exclusively to residential usage and does not extend to commercial connections.

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As per the government's directive, the beneficiaries will receive free electricity up to 10 per cent more than their average power consumption in the 2022-23 financial year.

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The government also said that the beneficiaries of ‘Bhagya Jyoti’, ‘Kuteera Jyoti’ and ‘Amruta Jyoti’ schemes, which are various existing schemes offering free electricity to the economically and socially backward communities, will be clubbed together with the 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme.

On Monday, CM Siddaramaiah said that the state's Budget will be tabled on July 7. Since assuming power, the newly elected government in Karnataka is being closely watched for the implementation of its five poll guarantees within the financial year.

The chief minister said the Cabinet has not yet discussed about the Budget but the Assembly session will start from July 3, and after the discussion on the Governor’s speech, the Budget will be tabled on July 7. "We are convening the Budget Session where we will table the Budget on July 7. We will make provisions for the implementation of the promises made in our manifesto," Siddaramaiah said.

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