BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has made it clear that there will be no rollback of the welfare schemes under the Congress government. However, he has ordered a comprehensive statewide review of beneficiaries under the flagship guarantee programmes. This decision came during his first meeting with senior officials after assuming office on Thursday. The primary objective of this review is to identify and remove ineligible recipients from the schemes, he stressed.
Misuse of Benefits Under Scrutiny
The Chief Minister stated that complaints have been received regarding the misuse of benefits, particularly under the Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi schemes. This has necessitated a thorough verification process. "We have recorded 1.6 crore beneficiaries under the electricity scheme. We will scrutinise beneficiaries, their connections, and whether residential premises are being used for commercial purposes. Some have multiple electricity meters in their names," Shivakumar said after a marathon meeting with senior IAS and IPS officers at Vidhana Soudha. He added that complete beneficiary details, including tenant information, location, usage patterns, and contact numbers, will be required.
Budget Allocation for 2026-27
For the fiscal year 2026-27, the state government has earmarked a substantial Rs 51,286 crore for the five guarantee schemes. These include free power up to 200 units under Gruha Jyothi, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for women heads of households under Gruha Lakshmi, an additional 5 kg of rice per Below Poverty Line (BPL) member under Anna Bhagya, a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders under Yuva Nidhi, and free bus travel for women under the Shakti scheme.
On the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, Shivakumar flagged instances of irregular withdrawals. "In some cases, money meant for beneficiaries has been withdrawn even after their death. Officials and families must report deaths to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of the scheme," he added.
CSR Spending and Voter List Revision
Regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending, the Chief Minister said the government would ensure better utilisation of funds for education and health. "The state gets Rs 8,000 crore in CSR spending but we do not know how it is being used. Companies will have to submit records. New guidelines will be issued in four days," he said, adding that government schools will get priority, followed by healthcare.
On voter list revision under the special intensive revision process, Shivakumar said no eligible citizen should be deprived of voting rights. "Facilitation centres will be set up. Karnataka will adopt best practices to prevent voter exclusion," he added.
Mekedatu Reservoir Project
The Chief Minister stated that the state does not intend to back out of the Mekedatu reservoir project. "We have already submitted the detailed project report. The Supreme Court has ruled on it, but Tamil Nadu has sought a review. It is for the Centre to take a call," he added.
