Bribery
Bengaluru: The state govt has initiated steps to recover Rs 7.2 crore credited under various guarantee schemes to the accounts of deceased beneficiaries in Bengaluru, officials said Wednesday. 18,522 beneficiaries have died since the schemes were launched, according to data released by the GBA guarantee implementation committee. However, benefits continued to be credited to some accounts, resulting in Rs 7.2 crore being transferred after their deaths. So far, Rs 9.2 lakh has been recovered. Committee chairman G Krishnappa said the govt spent Rs 20,632.77 crore under the five guarantee schemes in Bengaluru between July 2023 and Sept 2026. Bengaluru accounts for 13% of Karnataka ’s overall guarantee expenditure. Officials said the re-verification of Gruha Jyothi beneficiaries is nearly complete, with 99.9% of beneficiaries verified, while the review of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries is continuing through biometric authentication. The govt has spent nearly Rs 20 crore on the Gruha Lakshmi verification exercise. Sources confirm that over 1.5 lakh beneficiaries would be removed from the Gruha Jyothi scheme in Bengaluru. The committee also announced plans to install CCTV cameras at ration warehouses to improve transparency and said the govt has earmarked Rs 150 crore for introducing smart cards under the Shakti scheme. The committee said it has decided to form a panel of six members in each of the 369 wards. A dedicated helpline (9480683972) has also been launched to address grievances related to the guarantee schemes. ————– Graphics Reach of welfare schemes in Bengaluru Scheme Beneficiaries Spending Anna Bhagya 18.8 lakh 1,672.1 crore Gruha Lakshmi 8.9 lakh 5,309.5 crore Gruha Jyothi 38.9 lakh 9,625 crore Yuva Nidhi 20,119 62.5 crore Shakti 258.8 crore 3,963.6 crore Total spending Bengaluru: Rs 20,633 crore Karnataka: Rs 1,54,862 crore ———————— Payment after death Deceased beneficiaries identified: 18,522 Amount credited to their accounts: 7.2 crore Amount recovered: Rs 9.2 lakh -Data as of Sept end You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news.
The committee also announced measures to strengthen verification mechanisms and improve monitoring of beneficiaries. The govt has written to nine major banks seeking recovery of the amount. The issue came to light during a review of the implementation of the state’s five guarantee schemes in Bengaluru. Download the TOI App.