'Gruha Jyothi' to benefit 315,000 people in Udupi alone: Karnataka minister

The 'Gruha Jyothi' free electricity scheme of the Karnataka government will benefit over 315,000 people in Udupi district alone, Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar has said.

A total of 14.2 million consumers in the state will be benefitted by the scheme that provides 200 units of free power to consumers, Hebbalkar said speaking after launching the district-level programme of the scheme at Kunjibettu in Udupi district on Saturday.

The Minister, who is Udupi district in-charge, said the 'Anna Bhagya' food grains scheme launched by the government is already providing 10 kg of rice free to 12.8 million families in the state.

She said 300 million women have already utilised the government's 'Shakti' scheme that offers free travel for women in the state. Through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, Rs 2,000 each will be distributed every month to housewives. One crore women have already registered for the scheme so far, the Minister said.

Hebbalkar said the government has already implemented three out of five schemes announced by the Congress before the elections. The Congress announced the guarantees to instil confidence among the people who are burdened by spiralling prices of commodities, she said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress national President Mallikarjun Kharge formally launched the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme by handing over the "zero bill" to 10 people symbolically on Saturday.

MLA Yashpal Suvarna presided over the programme. Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson K Jayaprakash Hegde and zilla panchayat chief executive officer H Prasanna were among those present.