Now Reading: Bescom verification drive hits locked gates in Bengaluru
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Bescom verification drive hits locked gates in Bengaluru
Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) is struggling to verify Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries in Bengaluru as many apartment complexes and gated communities deny entry to its teams. The problem is acute in the…
Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) is struggling to verify Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries in Bengaluru as many apartment complexes and gated communities deny entry to its teams. The problem is acute in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area Zone, especially eastern Bengaluru, which has a high concentration of apartment residents.
With two days left in the two-month verification deadline, Bescom has verified only 66% of its 68.9 lakh beneficiaries. Across Karnataka, all five electricity supply companies have verified around 1.2 crore, or 71%, of nearly 1.7 crore beneficiaries. Mescom leads at 90% while Gescom trails at 54%.
Bescom has introduced a mobile app feature allowing staff to mark households as door-locked after three unsuccessful visits, with an SMS alert to consumers. The utilities are awaiting government approval to extend the verification exercise by another month.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Gruha Jyothi, offering up to 200 units of free power per month, was a key Congress election promise. The verification backlog in Bengaluru's gated communities reflects a recurring challenge: state schemes often hit implementation hurdles in apartment-heavy urban areas where access and tenant documentation are complex. Bescom's meter readers are caught between bill generation and verification duties, a workload strain that may worsen if the scheme expands. The next signal is whether the Karnataka government grants the one-month extension, which would indicate how urgently it prioritises full coverage before the next electoral cycle.
The Karnataka government's decision on the extension, expected within days, will show its commitment to delivering the scheme's benefits before model code of conduct kicks in for upcoming elections.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
