Bengaluru: Bengaluru accounts for around 13% of Karnataka’s total expenditure on the five guarantee schemes, with ₹20,632.77 crore spent within the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits, according to figures released by the GBA Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee.

The total expenditure on the five schemes across Karnataka has reached ₹1,54,861.58 crore. Committee president G. Krishnappa shared the figures during a press conference at the GBA headquarters on November 4. The spending covers the period since the schemes were introduced in 2023, with individual scheme figures updated up to different months in 2026. Bengaluru News,

Gruha Jyothi accounts for the highest spending

Among the five schemes, Gruha Jyothi recorded the highest expenditure in Bengaluru, with ₹9,625 crore spent between August 2023 and September 2026. The scheme currently covers around 38.91 lakh beneficiaries within the GBA limits.

Gruha Lakshmi accounted for ₹5,309.52 crore in expenditure between August 2023 and July 2026, benefiting around 8.95 lakh women.

The Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women in government-operated buses, recorded expenditure of ₹3,963.61 crore. The figure covers 258.78 crore passenger trips between June 2023 and September 2026.

Under Anna Bhagya, ₹1,672.14 crore was spent between July 2023 and September 2026, covering approximately 18.83 lakh beneficiaries.

Yuva Nidhi recorded the lowest expenditure among the five schemes, with ₹62.50 crore spent between January 2024 and August 2026. It covered around 20,119 beneficiaries.

Re-verification of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries planned

The committee is planning a door-to-door re-verification exercise to check the eligibility of beneficiaries receiving assistance under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.

The proposed exercise will use biometric or facial authentication through a web and mobile application developed by the Directorate of Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services. Verification is also expected to be facilitated through service centres such as Gram One, Karnataka One, Bangalore One and Bapuji Seva Kendras.

An estimated ₹20 crore has been proposed for the exercise, and the proposal has been sent to the government for Cabinet approval.

The committee said the verification process aims to ensure that financial assistance reaches eligible women and does not continue to be credited to accounts of deceased beneficiaries.

₹7.18 crore paid to deceased beneficiaries

The committee also reported that 18,522 beneficiaries identified as deceased were recorded within the GBA limits. Around ₹7.18 crore had reportedly been transferred to their accounts after their deaths.

The authorities have recovered ₹9.22 lakh so far and have written to nine major banks seeking the return of the remaining amount to the government treasury.

The issue has prompted calls for stronger beneficiary verification and improved coordination between government departments and banks to prevent incorrect payments.

Anna Bhagya monitoring measures strengthened

The committee also reviewed the implementation of the Anna Bhagya scheme and measures to improve the monitoring of food grain distribution.

There are 1,060 fair price shops and around 5.48 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Below Poverty Line ration cards within the GBA limits.

The Food and Civil Supplies Department has directed officials to install CCTV cameras in more than 25 godowns in Bengaluru. Vehicles transporting food grains are being fitted with GPS devices and monitored through a command and control centre.

Electronic weighing machines have been installed at fair price shops, while the introduction of iris scanners is also under way. The committee said efforts were being made to address server-related problems affecting ration distribution.

Smart cards planned under Shakti scheme

Preparations are also under way to introduce smart cards for women beneficiaries under the Shakti scheme. The government is expected to provide ₹150 crore for the initiative through a public-private partnership model.

The committee said further details would be announced by the Transport Department.

Meanwhile, the government continues to provide free bus passes to school and college students for travel on government buses.

Ward-level committees and grievance helpline

The GBA committee is also working towards establishing six-member guarantee implementation committees across all 369 wards within its jurisdiction. Proposals covering 239 wards across 17 Assembly constituencies have been sent to the government for approval.

A dedicated helpline, 94806 83972, has received 193 complaints related to the guarantee schemes. Of these, 185 have reportedly been resolved, while eight complaints are being processed.

The committee has also launched a dashboard to provide information about the five schemes, along with a website and social media platforms to share details of their implementation and beneficiary experiences.

The latest figures provide a picture of the scale of expenditure on Karnataka’s guarantee programmes and the number of beneficiaries covered in Bengaluru. The proposed verification measures are expected to focus on improving transparency, preventing incorrect payments and ensuring that assistance reaches eligible recipients. Bengaluru News,