Intro
Shivamogga committee supports government steps to prevent misuse of five guarantee schemes and improve beneficiary verification system.
Shivamogga
The district-level Guarantee Scheme Implementation Authority in Shivamogga has welcomed the state government’s decision to prevent misuse of the five guarantee schemes by requiring fresh applications and issuing identification cards to beneficiaries.
Chairing a review meeting at the Zilla Panchayat Abdul Nazeer Sab hall, Authority Chairman C.S. Chandrabhupal said the new measures would help ensure that welfare benefits reach genuine beneficiaries under schemes such as Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi.
The committee noted several irregularities in the implementation of Gruha Lakshmi, including cases where benefits were still being credited to bank accounts of deceased beneficiaries. Officials also reported instances of multiple women from the same household receiving benefits as separate heads of families. It was observed that around 5,618 ineligible beneficiaries, including income tax payers, were receiving scheme benefits in the district, causing financial loss to the government.
Under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, concerns were raised over misuse of the 200-unit free electricity benefit for commercial purposes and multiple electricity connections registered under a single name. Authorities were instructed to conduct detailed verification, especially in rental houses, to ensure compliance.
The committee also discussed issuing smart cards under the Shakti scheme to regulate free bus travel for women and ensure benefits reach eligible users. Officials were directed to raise awareness about voter registration, as eligibility requirements were linked to voter lists in some cases.
Under the Annabhagya scheme, members objected to unnecessary demands for caste and income certificates at ration shops, calling for strict adherence to official guidelines. Issues such as server disruptions, cleanliness at distribution centres, and Wi-Fi installation at fair price shops were also discussed.
The meeting reviewed financial details, including Rs 3,110.48 crore disbursed under Gruha Lakshmi and Rs 30.82 crore under Yuva Nidhi, benefiting over one lakh youths. Officials stressed the need for better monitoring and awareness campaigns to improve scheme effectiveness.
