Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said that only individuals whose names are included in the electoral rolls will be eligible to receive benefits under government welfare schemes, while stressing that no genuine beneficiary should be denied support. The remarks came during a review meeting held at the Vidhana Soudha to assess the implementation of the state's flagship welfare programmes.

The chief minister specifically referred to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and urged beneficiaries to ensure that their names remain on the voter list. He indicated that access to schemes, including the Gruha Jyothi programme, would be linked to electoral registration as part of efforts to streamline beneficiary verification and prevent misuse.

Gruha Jyothi is one of the Karnataka government's five guarantee schemes and provides up to 200 units of free electricity to households across the state. Shivakumar said beneficiaries must remain vigilant during the electoral roll revision process, as exclusion from the voter list could affect their eligibility for government assistance. "Only voters whose names are in the electoral roll will be beneficiaries of government schemes," he said.

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At the same time, the chief minister emphasised that the administration's objective was not to reduce benefits for deserving families. He instructed officials to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries continue to receive support without interruption. According to Shivakumar, the focus should be on identifying ineligible recipients and preventing leakages in welfare delivery rather than creating hardships for genuine beneficiaries.

The review meeting also highlighted concerns regarding individuals who had migrated from other states but were allegedly continuing to avail benefits under the Gruha Jyothi scheme. Officials discussed measures to strengthen verification processes and improve the accuracy of beneficiary databases to ensure that government resources are directed to eligible residents.

The state government has repeatedly maintained that its welfare initiatives are intended to support vulnerable households while ensuring fiscal accountability. The latest directive signals a move toward tighter scrutiny of beneficiary records, with electoral roll data expected to play a key role in determining eligibility for various government schemes in the future.

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