Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday, 10 June categorically stated that the state government has no plans to reduce the number of beneficiaries under its flagship guarantee schemes, clarifying that the ongoing verification drive is strictly aimed at weeding out fraudulent claimants and ensuring benefits reach those who are genuinely eligible.

What the Verification Exercise Is About

Addressing questions on the review of the Gruha Laxmi scheme — which provides direct financial assistance to women heads of households — Shivakumar disclosed that authorities had detected cases where payments were being drawn against the names of deceased beneficiaries, with different mobile numbers linked to those accounts.

'In some cases, money under the Gruha Laxmi scheme was being withdrawn in the names of beneficiaries who had passed away. Different mobile numbers had been linked to those accounts. Therefore, we are conducting a verification exercise. There is absolutely no intention to reduce the number of beneficiaries. Our objective is to ensure that the benefits reach eligible persons,' he said.

Gruha Jyothi Misuse: Commercial Use of Free Power Flagged

The Chief Minister also flagged alleged misuse of the Gruha Jyothi free electricity scheme, under which households receive up to 200 units of free power every month. He said some individuals were routing the free electricity to commercial establishments such as shops, and that in certain cases a single person had six electricity meters registered in their name.

'We have no objection if the scheme is used for residential purposes. Those living in rented houses can submit an affidavit. We introduced these schemes for the voters and eligible beneficiaries of Karnataka,' Shivakumar said. The clarification comes amid growing political scrutiny of Karnataka's five guarantee schemes, which form the centrepiece of the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) government's social welfare agenda.

Delhi Visit: NITI Aayog, Modi Meeting, and Congress Leaders

Shivakumar, who was in New Delhi ahead of an upcoming NITI Aayog meeting, said Karnataka would actively participate and raise state-specific concerns. He confirmed he had sought appointments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union Ministers, and that Modi had granted him time the following day.

'The Prime Minister had assured me of his cooperation on the day I assumed office. We will work together in the interest of development,' he said. He also met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, seeking clearance for Karnataka's Metro double-decker project and requesting greater financial support through the Centre's Urban Challenge Fund.

During his Delhi visit, Shivakumar met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, as well as visited offices of the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, and NSUI. He declined to disclose the specifics of his conversations with the Gandhi family, saying, 'I cannot disclose everything. I discussed what needed to be discussed.'

Meenakshi Natarajan Nomination Rejection: 'Political Conspiracy'

Shivakumar sharply condemned the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination in Madhya Pradesh, calling it a 'shocking' development and alleging a political conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

'An Election Officer or Returning Officer does not have the authority to arbitrarily reject a nomination. If there was any issue, it could have been challenged in court after the election,' he said. He questioned how a candidate could be held responsible for an FIR filed without their knowledge, and noted that he himself had been given an opportunity to rectify a similar issue during his own nomination filing. 'This is a case that makes the democratic system hang its head in shame,' he added.

On a possible Cabinet expansion in Karnataka, Shivakumar was brief: 'There is no discussion on that at present.' With the NITI Aayog meeting approaching and Centre-state project approvals pending, all eyes are now on what Shivakumar secures from his New Delhi engagements.