The Karnataka government is set to conduct a fresh verification of beneficiaries under its flagship Gruha Lakshmi scheme, with biometric and facial authentication to be used to establish the eligibility of registered beneficiaries.

The re-verification drive will begin on August 30 and is expected to be completed within a month. The exercise is aimed at identifying people who may no longer qualify for the scheme and ensuring that financial assistance reaches eligible beneficiaries.

Re-Verification Begins August 30

The Karnataka government issued administrative approval for the exercise on August 28 after reviewing a proposal for a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries.

The process will use biometric and facial authentication, supported by web and mobile applications developed by the Directorate of Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services.

The government has instructed officials to complete the exercise within one month.

Door-to-Door Verification

A major part of the exercise will involve door-to-door visits.

Enumerators will visit beneficiaries at their homes and provide printed enumeration forms that have to be completed and returned.

If a beneficiary is not available, another member of the household can fill in the form.

The government has made household visits mandatory, even if the required information is available through other verification methods or government databases.

Photographs and GPS Details

During the verification process, officials will capture photographic evidence against the beneficiary’s name.

The mobile application will also automatically record the GPS coordinates of the beneficiary’s residence.

The combination of photographs, location data and biometric information is expected to help officials verify whether the registered beneficiary continues to live at the recorded address and remains eligible for the scheme.

Alternative Verification Centres

Beneficiaries who are not available during household visits and are unable to complete facial authentication will be informed through multiple communication channels.

They will be asked to complete biometric authentication at their assigned Fair Price Shop or the nearest Karnataka One, Grama One or Bengaluru One centre.

This is intended to ensure that genuine beneficiaries are not excluded simply because they were unavailable during the household survey.

Existing Biometric Data to Be Used

The government has also decided to use biometric authentication data that has already been collected at Fair Price Shops.

Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Panchayats have been directed to mobilise existing Guarantee Committee members and arrange the required number of enumerators.

Why Is the Government Re-Checking Beneficiaries?

The re-verification has been ordered because beneficiary circumstances may have changed since the scheme was launched.

Officials have reported cases involving beneficiaries who have died or migrated, as well as cases where beneficiaries or their husbands have begun filing income-tax or GST returns.

These changes can affect eligibility, prompting the government to undertake a comprehensive review of the beneficiary list.

Rs 2,000 Monthly Assistance

The Gruha Lakshmi scheme is one of the five guarantee schemes introduced by the Congress government in Karnataka.

Under the scheme, Rs 2,000 is paid every month to the woman head of an eligible household.

The programme was designed to provide direct financial assistance and support the economic empowerment of women.

1.24 Crore Beneficiaries

The scale of the scheme is significant.

Since its launch in August 2023, 1.24 crore beneficiaries have received 32 instalments of financial assistance, according to the government proposal.

The total expenditure under the scheme so far has reached Rs 76,951.13 crore.

Given the size of the beneficiary base and the substantial public expenditure involved, the government considers periodic verification necessary to maintain an accurate list.

Rs 20 Crore Spending Limit

The government has approved the re-verification exercise within a grant limit of Rs 20 crore.

The Department of Women and Child Development will oversee the process, while the e-Governance Department will provide technical and operational support.

One-Month Deadline

The government has set a one-month timeframe for completing the exercise.

The process will involve household visits, distribution and collection of forms, identity verification, biometric authentication and facial recognition.

Given the number of beneficiaries, officials will need to coordinate a large field-level workforce across rural and urban areas.

What Beneficiaries Need to Know

Women currently receiving Gruha Lakshmi assistance may need to cooperate with the household verification process and provide the required details.

Beneficiaries who are away when officials visit will have alternative options to complete biometric verification at designated service centres.

The process is intended to distinguish genuine, eligible beneficiaries from those whose circumstances have changed since their initial registration.

Government’s Objective

Welfare schemes can face challenges when beneficiary circumstances change over time.

A person who was eligible when a scheme was introduced may later become ineligible due to changes in family circumstances, migration, death or income status.

By updating the beneficiary database, the government aims to ensure that public funds are directed towards people who continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

Conclusion

Karnataka will begin biometric and facial re-verification of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries from August 30, with the exercise expected to be completed within a month. Officials will conduct door-to-door surveys and use photographs, GPS information and biometric authentication to verify beneficiaries.

The exercise is aimed at identifying beneficiaries who have died, migrated or experienced changes in their tax status that could affect eligibility.

With 1.24 crore beneficiaries and Rs 76,951.13 crore already spent under the scheme, the verification drive represents a major administrative exercise designed to keep the beneficiary database updated and ensure that the monthly Rs 2,000 assistance reaches eligible women.