One unit above 200 and entire bill becomes payable

Mysore/Mysuru: The Gruha Jyothi scheme — a flagship pre-election promise of the Congress Government — originally assured 200 units of free electricity per RR number. However, subsequent guideline revisions have sharply narrowed its scope and tightened eligibility.

Under the new rules, the scheme comes with a strict condition: If a household consumes even one unit above 200, it loses eligibility for the zero bill. Beneficiaries who cross the 200-unit cap must pay the entire bill, not just the excess.

Eligibility also hinges on the consumer’s average monthly consumption. Households whose average exceeds 200 units automatically lose access to the full benefit.

For new connections with no usage history, the free quota is calculated using a standard baseline — around 53 units (or 58–59 units with the 10 percent allowance) — and does not immediately rise to 200 units. Only after one full year of consumption can the average be recalculated and revised upward.

Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) Managing Director K.M. Munigopalraju told Star of Mysore, “If a person has an average consumption of 100 units per month and tries to increase usage up to 200 units to claim the scheme benefits, he or she will not be eligible. The bill is calculated strictly on average consumption. The 10-month average must remain below 200 units, with a grace concession of 10 units.”

Even for eligible consumers, the rules remain stringent. If monthly usage exceeds the calculated average, the difference must be paid. And if consumption crosses 200 units in any month, the entire bill becomes payable.

Importantly, reducing consumption below 200 units in just one month does not restore eligibility. The Government reviews 10 months of consumption history before granting or adjusting benefits under the scheme.