Server issues, lack of Gruha Jyothi verification delay meter readers

The department is unlikely to achieve the Herculean target by the August 31 deadline, with just 21,602 meters across the state. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

With rampant server issues and fewer meter readers at work, Gruha Jyothi’s door-to-door verification has slowed down. Launched on July 1, 2026, the Department of Energy has been able to verify only about 45 million beneficiaries out of an estimated 1.65 million beneficiaries.

The department is unlikely to achieve the Herculean target by the August 31 deadline, with just 21,602 meters across the state.

According to power department officials, Bescom meters have completed verification of 25 lakh houses in their jurisdiction with only 7,409 meters. There are a total of 65 million beneficiaries under Bescom’s jurisdiction and 40 million households are yet to be verified.

Server problems

A resident of Malleshpalya in CV Raman Nagar said, “The meter readings came at around 12 noon to our residence due to Gruha Jyothi’s verification process. It was not even half a day that the server slowed down and the app crashed. After waiting for 20 minutes for the server to recover, the meters had to leave saying they would visit again.” Another resident in Chandra Layout said, “There are four houses in our building. While the verification of my house was completed, the meters could not complete the verification of three other houses due to slow server.”

When asked about the server issues that crippled the survey, a senior official of the power department explained, “At the end of the process, all Gruha Jyothi data is uploaded to the Seva Sindhu portal. As various services including Khata issuance under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), Health Department services, ration cards, guarantee schemes, including Sha Grukti users, are also caught and slowed down on this server, the servers are also caught and slowed down.”

“The enumerators worked on Saturdays and Sundays also to cover the target of the beneficiaries assigned to them. They visit the house several times, even after working hours to enter details of a particular household if required,” the official said.

He decided to give up

A senior official of the power department said that more than 20,000 people who have opted and are availing the Gruha Jyothi guarantee scheme have refused to provide any details of meter readings. “Beneficiaries have decided to waive and have signed Part B in their respective forms. Part B clearly states that the beneficiary has no objection to the interruption of the grid connection benefit provided to their household,” the official said.

Published – 26 Jul 2026 19:51 IST