The Gruha Jyothi Scheme is a state electricity subsidy program (scheme) launched by the Karnataka Government. It was introduced as one of the five guarantee schemes of the new government to reduce the financial burden of high electricity costs on residents. The scheme officially commenced on August 1, 2023, with the electricity consumption of July 2023 being the first month of assessment. It also consolidated older subsidy programs like the Kuteera Jyothi, Amrutha Jyothi, and Bhagya Jyothi schemes.
The scheme provides free electricity up to a maximum of 200 units per month to all domestic households, including tenants. The mechanism works by calculating an eligible consumer's free unit entitlement based on their average consumption between April 2022 and March 2023, plus a buffer. To avail the benefit, residents must link their Aadhaar number with their electricity account ID (RR number) via the Seva Sindhu portal. If a household's monthly usage exceeds the 200-unit cap, they must pay the full bill for that month.
The Gruha Jyothi Scheme is closely connected to the state's Electricity Distribution Companies (ESCOMs) and is one of the flagship welfare programs alongside the Gruha Lakshmi scheme. A significant recent change occurred in January 2024, when the Cabinet decided to give households consuming under 90 units a flat 10 extra units of free power, replacing the earlier rule of a 10% increase over their average consumption. Furthermore, a delink facility was introduced to allow tenants to unlink their Aadhaar from an old residence and relink it to a new one, addressing a major operational issue for renters.